Spanish fair trade group asks political parties to focus on sustainable, just commerce in campaigns

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• Group wants fairer business and trade practices at home and abroad

• Foreign trade deals should incorporate environment, labor & human rights

A Spanish organization campaigning for sustainable and fairer trade and business practices has called on the country’s political parties to incorporate into their electoral platforms for Spain’s upcoming Dec. 20th general elections a set of 10 recommendations that the organization says will serve toward creating fairer, more-humane domestic and international commercial practices.

The measures, set forth by the ‘State Coordinating Council for Fair Commerce’ (Coordinadora Estatal de Comercio Justo, or CECJ), call on the political parties to seek changes in existing legislation, promote citizen awareness and work toward re-orienting Spain’s foreign trade policies to promote fairer business and trade practices at home and abroad.

On the domestic front, the CECJ called for changes to Spain’s law governing public sector contracts to incorporate requisites that “take into account social and environmental elements and not only the price” in bids for government concessions and the provision of public services. Similarly, in order to more effectively combat poverty nationwide, the CECJ wants Spanish political parties to work toward specific inclusion of fair trade and business practices within existing legislation on the public sector economy and social spending.

Internationally, the CECJ has called on the political parties to include election platform planks that seek a balance between Spain’s foreign trade interests and the respect for human rights, labor rights and the environment in reaching bilateral and international trade agreements with countries where Spanish companies do business.

Read the Full Story in Spanish at Europa Press >>

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