On December 10, EFTA will modestly celebrate its 25th anniversary, together with some colleagues from FLO and WFTO.

In 1987, eleven Fair Trade Organizations created EFTA with the aim to unite forces and to coordinate activities for the benefit of small scale producers in the South. Together with many others, we have helped to create a movement for change.

But our movement for change is still small – nor has it changed fundamentally the way business is conducted. Fair Trade needs new and different strategies. Our anniversary provides an opportunity to reflect on the past, to recommit ourselves to Fair Trade and to identify our specific role as pioneers in the movement.

Today, we want to recognize with profound gratitude the endeavours of millions of producers and export organizations in the South as well as millions of consumers, action groups, World Shops and concerned traders in the North who have joined together in the Fair Trade movement.

There is no success on one’s own and the changes we seek will require all our combined energy and creativity in the future. The diversity of our movement, and the specific focus of each one of us, must be a strength that allows us to consign injustice to history and to realise our vision of Fair Trade at the heart of a fair world.

Anniversary message by European Fair Trade Association (EFTA)