Farmers of three countries refuse to get into debts and instead remember their traditional knowledge, which has been handed down from generation to generation. Innovative and versatile, they secure sustainable harvests, develop their own markets and contribute to the conservation of the environment.

Fairtrade is a trading partnership based on dialogue, transparency and respect and aiming for more justice in world trade. That is why EED, other church partners and fairtrade organisations have been working together for many years in ecumenical solidarity for fairtrade. The churches are therefore one of fairtrades greatest promoters both at national and international level.

Fairtrade is a concrete form of development cooperation aimed at combating poverty. “Trade not aid” means: small-scale farmers and producers in developing countries actively advance economic and social development in their countries on their own rather than passively receiving aid. They are trading partners who are entitled to fairer trading systems and more appropriate prices for their products. With fairtrade they can secure their incomes and thus help themselves, their families and their communities.

Small-scale farmers and plantation workers receive a fair minimum price for their products – for example coffee, tea or bananas. This minimum price covers the production costs and ensures them a living wage. The prices are usually higher than the current world market price for the produce in question. This was the case for coffee for many years, for example; when coffee growers had to struggle against dumping prices on the world market because of over-supply and falling demand, which were barely enough to cover their everyday needs, Fairtrade with its fair prices offered a positive alternative.

In addition to the fair minimum price, a Fairtrade premium is paid to the producers. Using transparently democratic systems, groups of growers or cooperatives decide for themselves how this premium will be used. The premium is generally invested in community projects such as schools, village halls, health centres or in the creation of savings, loan and pension funds. Hundreds of thousands of small farmers and plantation workers all over the world therefore benefit from Fairtrade, which gives them even more advantages, such as long-term supply relationships and pre-finance. Fairtrade has laid down social and ecological standards for each one of its products.

EED is one of the biggest supporters of Fairtrade. Since 1975 it has been a shareholder in gepa, one of the biggest fair-trade companies in Europe. In 1992, EED together with other NGO’s, founded the non-profit Fairtrade labelling organisation, which now holds 38 member organisations in Germany. TransFair e.V. does not trade or merchandise itself, but awards the globally recognised Fairtrade - label.

The international umbrella body for TransFair is the Fairtrade Labelling Organisations International (FLO). The world’s biggest Fairtrade organisation covers producers in over 60 countries. EED also supports the Fairtrade Forum, a network of Fairtrade actors and NGOs which was founded in 2002. Every September the Fair Trade week takes places which involves over thousands Fair Trade activities and is also actively supported and funded by EED.

Political lobbying at European and international level is also part of the EED’s work in the field of Fairtrade. In Germany, educational work associated with Fairtrade is one criterion for EED funding. Moreover, EED is committed to integrating the principles of Fairtrade into a future model for corporate social responsibility. The model would commit companies and corporations all over the world to create socially and ecologically sound working conditions for their employees.