Brussels, 5th July 2008

Euro Coop warmly welcomes the initiative of linking up the celebrations for the International Cooperative Day with the key topic of Climate Change. As responsible economic and social actors, consumer co-operatives gathered in Euro Coop have been and are now more that ever ready to play a fundamental role vis-à-vis this central challenge.

European consumer cooperatives are aware of the responsibilities that they have towards their members as well towards society at large and are therefore engaged to deliver to the best of their ability concrete results.

Based on the International Cooperative Alliance resolution on Climate Change (October 2007) , Euro Coop's Board has emphasized the necessity to continue further in the fight against Climate Change. With this objective, Euro Coop is currently elaborating a major and wide-encompassing project that will establish a common framework for the activities of consumer co-operatives in the fight against Climate Change, with the overall objective of achieving European Union's goals at an earlier date than year 2020. This aim will be achieved by measuring and reducing the carbon-footprint of their activities but also through informing and educating their members in search of more environmentally-friendly lifestyles.

This new framework will build on the already existing best practices that consumer co-operatives undertake in fighting Climate Change. For an overview of the work of consumer co-operatives in this field please check our website: http://www.eurocoop.coop/change/en/default.asp

It is important, however, to remember that the fight against Climate Change is only one amongst several factors of a broader concept of sustainable development. The present global economic crisis and in particular the food crisis are also major concerns for consumer co-operatives. Euro Coop believes that part of the solution to this problem is the integration of the co-operative values and principles throughout the whole supply chain and will encourage its members to work closer together with other co-operative organisations to develop solutions that benefit producers and consumers alike.

EURO COOP is the European Community of Consumer Cooperatives, whose members are the national organisations of consumer cooperatives in 18 European countries. Created in 1957, EURO COOP today represents over 3,200 local and regional cooperatives, the members of which amount to more than 25 million consumers across Europe.

For more information please contact:

Rosita Zilli, Policy Adviser, Euro Coop aisbl
Avenue de Tervueren, 12 bte 3
B-1040 Brussels
Tel: +32 (0)2 285 00 72
E-mail: rzilliateurocoop.coop