Universität zu Köln

Gröne, Maria Katharina ORCID: 0009-0006-7060-0687 and Snopkov, Polina (2025). NEO-/COLONIALISM IN FAIR TRADE?. An examination of neo-/colonial aspects and recommendations. Universität zu Köln: Global South Studies Center/Competence Center Fair Trade.

PDF 20251121_PB2_Layout.pdf Download (1MB)

Abstract

Scholars, NGOs, and activists, especially from the Global South, have raised concerns that many sustainability-oriented regulations and standardization reflect neo-colonial dynamics (Dehbi & Martin-Ortega 2023: 930; Mason et al. 2023: 977f). Regulations like Germany’s Supply Chain Due Diligence Act, the EU Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD), the EU Organic Regulation (EUOR), and the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) are said to be Eurocentric policies that perpetuate historical power asymmetries, reinforce neo-colonial structures, and marginalize producers and stakeholders in the Global South. This policy brief builds on the findings of the Competence Center Fair Trade’s (CCFT) Policy Brief No. 1: “Neo-colonialism in International Trade?” to examine neo-colonial tendencies within Fair Trade. Policy Brief No. 1 explored the critiques above and assessed the Fair Trade Movement’s as well as the Fairtrade System’s role in addressing such dynamics. Building on that, Policy Brief No. 2 focuses on an exploration of neo-colonial aspects in Fair Trade – particularly the Fairtrade system – and gives recommendations.

Item Type:	Other
Creators:	Creators Email ORCID ORCID Put Code Gröne, Maria Katharina katharina.groene@uni-koeln.de https://orcid.org/0009-0006-7060-0687 UNSPECIFIED Snopkov, Polina psnopkov@uni-koeln.de UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED
Editors:	Editors Email ORCID ORCID Put Code Greiner, Clemens clemens.greiner@uni-koeln.de https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6771-373X UNSPECIFIED Braun, Boris boris.braun@uni-koeln.de https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3863-2153 UNSPECIFIED Schüller, Martin m.schueller@fairtrade-deutschland.de UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED
URN:	urn:nbn:de:hbz:38-792587
Number:	2
Page Range:	pp. 1-7
Date:	24 November 2025
Publisher:	Universität zu Köln: Global South Studies Center/Competence Center Fair Trade
Language:	English
Faculty:	Central Institutions / Interdisciplinary Research Centers
Divisions:	Global South Studies Center
Subjects:	Political science Customs, etiquette, folklore Geography and travel
URI:	http://kups.ub.uni-koeln.de/id/eprint/79258