International Coffee Regulation: A Comparison of the International Coffee Organization and the Fair Trade Coffee Regimes

47 Pages Posted: 8 Jun 2012

Date Written: December 1, 2008

Abstract

An economic analysis of the the international coffee trade. The paper compares two regulatory regimes, the International Coffee Organization and the Fairtrade Labelling organization. The ICO is an intergovernmental group that has historically regulated the international coffee trade between exporters and importers of coffee. The FLO is an NGO that uses its label, and the fair trade standards that lable indicates, to improve the economic positions of coffee farmers. The paper concludes that both regulatory regimes cannot achieve longterm improvement in the economic conditions of coffee traders because they ignore the oversupply of coffee that has historically driven the real price of coffee down.

Keywords: Coffee, International Trade Regulation, International Coffee Organization, Fair Trade, Fairtrade Labelling Organization

Suggested Citation

Weese, Scott Bradley, International Coffee Regulation: A Comparison of the International Coffee Organization and the Fair Trade Coffee Regimes (December 1, 2008). Cardozo Public Law, Policy and Ethics Journal, Vol. 7, No. 275, 2008, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2079681

Scott Bradley Weese (Contact Author)

Wood LLP ( email )

333 Sacramento Street
San Francisco, CA 94111
United States

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