Mr Sergi Corbalán, Fair Trade Advocacy Office Coordinator, is our guest. The Fair Trade Advocacy Office speaks out for Fair Trade and trade justice with the aim to improve trading conditions for the benefit of small and marginalised producers and poor workers in developing countries. Based in Brussels, the office coordinates the advocacy activities of the four main Fair Trade Networks: Fairtrade Labelling Organizations International, World Fair Trade Organisation, Network of European Worldshops and European Fair Trade Association. Mr. Corbalán introduces the concept of fair trade and presents the work of the Bureau, particularly in Brussels with policy makers in the EU. Fair trade needs to be truly equitable, and therefore fulfil the economic, labor and environmental generators. A better dialogue is essential to improve the link between producers and consumers, who need to understand the value of such trade. The new European Parliament and the forthcoming new European Commission represents an opportunity for new proposals to encourage support fair trade as a tool for development. In this regard, the Fair Trade Advocacy Office has just published the report “Aid for Trade - Is the EU helping small producers to trade their way out of poverty?”.

The African, Caribbean and Pacific Group (ACP) Committee of Ambassadors have expressed concerns to the European Union on the threats of climate change to the ACP countries, and urged the Europeans to help them combat the threats. The ACP Committee of Ambassadors was given the opportunity to raise their concerns to Swedish Ambassador, H.E Mr. Christian Danielsson, and the Director General for Development of the European Commission, Mr. Stefano Manservisi, in a meeting at the ACP House. Sweden holds the presidency of the EU at present. Besides, climate change, both parties also exchanged views on the recently ratified Lisbon Treaty and its effects on the ACP-EU relations and the global financial and economic crisis.