11 February 2010 (Brussels) – The Fair Trade movement applauds the European Union’s Committee of the Regions (CoR) in its unanimous adopting yesterday evening of an opinion in support of Fair Trade and calling for the need to adopt a European Strategy and action plan for Fair Trade for Local and Regional Authorities.

Sergi Corbalán, on behalf of the World Fair Trade Organisation (WFTO), Fairtrade Labelling Organisations International (FLO) and the European Fair Trade Association (EFTA) 2 stated: "We welcome the Committee of the Regions´ support for Fair Trade and a European Strategy and action plan for Fair Trade for Local and Regional Authorities."

03 December 2009 (Brussels/Geneva) – The World Trade Organization Ministerial Meeting held in Geneva this 30th November to 2nd December generated great expectations as to the role played by this institution within the context of the current global economic crisis. Regrettably, there was an absence of any meaningful reassessment of the WTO-conventional trade model, despite its role in driving the food, climate change and economic crises which have been so devastating for producers and workers in developing countries. Instead ministers adopted a business as usual approach, by calling for a speedy conclusion of the Doha Round by 2010.