The Sri Lanka Export Development Board (EDB), in collaboration with the Sri Lanka Embassy in Brussels, successfully organized an inward trade delegation comprising 12 Fair Trade product importers and representatives from the European Union from 17th to 22nd November 2025, with the objective of promoting Sri Lankan Fair Trade products and strengthening bilateral trade relations between Sri Lanka and the EU region.
The delegation included representatives from key European markets including Belgium, France and Italy. Notably, Colruyt Group, a major Belgian retail chain, confirmed its participation alongside seven other representatives, demonstrating strong interest in Sri Lankan Fair Trade products. The Brussels Embassy enhanced the delegation's impact by facilitating the participation of officers from National Federation Organizations (NFOs) including Fair Trade Italy, Fair Trade Belgium, Fair Trade France, all of which maintained established commercial relationships to increase Fair Trade certified sales volumes in their respective countries.
The programme commenced on 17th November 2025 at The Kingsbury Hotel, Colombo 01. The opening ceremony concluded with a networking session that brought together EU delegates, Sri Lankan companies, certification bodies, and relevant government institutions.
From 18th to 22nd November, arrangements were made by the EDB for Sri Lankan companies to meet the visiting buyer delegation through tailor-made visits to Fair Trade and organic certified producers and exporters. The comprehensive programme included direct business-to-business meetings, field visits to processing units and farmer clusters, and forums to facilitate knowledge exchange and to discuss possible business opportunities. The EDB also facilitated meetings with relevant government institutions and certification bodies to discuss relevant matters like monitoring systems, maintenance of traceability, and government support mechanisms available for Fair Trade producers.
The European delegation was particularly interested in meeting Sri Lankan exporters in product sectors including spices, rice, coconut products, tropical fruits and tea. The EDB discussed an innovative concept linking Sri Lanka's Fair Trade farmer clusters with the Fair Trade Town system operating in the EU, potentially creating new frameworks for sustainable trade partnerships.
The EDB projects substantial outcomes from this initiative, targeting an increase in orders to the EU region of approximately US$ 4-6 million for 2025-2026. The EDB anticipates establishing direct linkages to supermarket value chains for three to four companies and successfully connecting one to two Fair Trade clusters in Sri Lanka with the Fair Trade Town concept in Europe.
The European Union is a significant market for Sri Lanka's Fair Trade products. The global Fair Trade Certification market, valued at US$ 10.7 billion in 2024, was projected to reach US$ 23.6 billion by 2033, representing a robust growth rate of 9.2% annually. Sri Lanka's Fair Trade-certified products had gained significant traction in the European Union, driven by sustainability-conscious consumers seeking ethically produced goods. In 2023, the nation's Fair Trade exports generated approximately US$ 2.5 million, supported by 72 export companies and nearly 28,000 farmers engaged in sustainable production practices.
