Trade for Development Centre is a programme of Enabel, the Belgian development agency.

News and publications

European and Belgian market for (sustainable) gold

This report explores the market for gold and gold jewellery in the EU and more specifically in Belgium. As sustainable gold is a relatively new concept, and is still small-scale business compared to the overall gold industry, clear-cut information on the demand-side is still very limited. Therefore this report focuses on the total gold jewellery market, but also pays attention to the Fair Trade market when possible.

Read more »

Ethics in the chocolate value chain

Surveys conducted between 2009 and 2011 show that more than 250 000 children are used and exploited in cocoa plantations in West Africa (mainly in Ivory Coast). In 2001, some of the big names of the global chocolate industry signed the Harkin-Engel protocol and committed to addressing the worst forms of child labour. Ten years later, none of the goals set by this protocol were fully achieved.

Read more »

Forests, a development challenge

The rate of destruction of forest cover has significantly increased over the past ten years, particularly in countries in the South. This endangers the overall development of these regions. Southern countries are faced with the erosion of their natural resources. Meanwhile , they suffer the most from climate change, of which deforestation is one of the main causes.

Read more »

The Small Producers Label

The idea had been in the air for some time. The “Small Producers’ Symbol” was officially launched in November 2010 in Honduras, during the 4th General Assembly of CLAC (the Latin American and Caribbean Coordination of Small Fair Trade Producers).

Read more »

Cocoa: a lever for development

Cocoa is a mythical food with surprising origins that has made its way around the globe. Starting in Central America, it spread in the holds of merchant ships during the era when the world was opening up to explorers. Limited to the zone between the tropics, from which it cannot escape, the cocoa tree is fragile and delicate and its trunk and branches hold a bizarre, inedible fruit. A fruit, though, that is highly prized.

Read more »

The European market for fair and sustainable flowers and plants

This report makes an attempt to capture all relevant information on the European market for fair and sustainable flowers and plants – ranging from economic structure of this market to production characteristics, and major trends in consumer preferences and behaviour. Above all, the report aims to provide insight into the role of the various social and environmental standards in the main European flower and plant markets and sales channels.

Read more »

European and Belgian market for (sustainable) gold

This report explores the market for gold and gold jewellery in the EU and more specifically in Belgium. As sustainable gold is a relatively new concept, and is still small-scale business compared to the overall gold industry, clear-cut information on the demand-side is still very limited. Therefore this report focuses on the total gold jewellery market, but also pays attention to the Fair Trade market when possible.

Read more »

Ethics in the chocolate value chain

Surveys conducted between 2009 and 2011 show that more than 250 000 children are used and exploited in cocoa plantations in West Africa (mainly in Ivory Coast). In 2001, some of the big names of the global chocolate industry signed the Harkin-Engel protocol and committed to addressing the worst forms of child labour. Ten years later, none of the goals set by this protocol were fully achieved.

Read more »

Forests, a development challenge

The rate of destruction of forest cover has significantly increased over the past ten years, particularly in countries in the South. This endangers the overall development of these regions. Southern countries are faced with the erosion of their natural resources. Meanwhile , they suffer the most from climate change, of which deforestation is one of the main causes.

Read more »

The Small Producers Label

The idea had been in the air for some time. The “Small Producers’ Symbol” was officially launched in November 2010 in Honduras, during the 4th General Assembly of CLAC (the Latin American and Caribbean Coordination of Small Fair Trade Producers).

Read more »

Cocoa: a lever for development

Cocoa is a mythical food with surprising origins that has made its way around the globe. Starting in Central America, it spread in the holds of merchant ships during the era when the world was opening up to explorers. Limited to the zone between the tropics, from which it cannot escape, the cocoa tree is fragile and delicate and its trunk and branches hold a bizarre, inedible fruit. A fruit, though, that is highly prized.

Read more »

The European market for fair and sustainable flowers and plants

This report makes an attempt to capture all relevant information on the European market for fair and sustainable flowers and plants – ranging from economic structure of this market to production characteristics, and major trends in consumer preferences and behaviour. Above all, the report aims to provide insight into the role of the various social and environmental standards in the main European flower and plant markets and sales channels.

Read more »

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