Cooperative enterprises are major players in the global economy. They range from small grassroots initiatives to multibillion dollar businesses and operate in all sectors of the economy. The panel will start with a theoretical presentation of the links between cooperatives and trade. The panel will subsequently turn to practical experiences, and build on cooperative-to-cooperative trade and how it can make value chains shorter, fairer and more efficient and competitive. The seven internationally agreed cooperative principles guide the work of cooperatives around the world. The principle, “Cooperation among Cooperatives”, is the principle most related to the trade, South-South and Global Value Chain perspectives. In the practical part, the case of “China Coop” on promoting cooperative-to-cooperative trade in Asia through different platforms will be presented. The agricultural and consumer cooperative experiences from Italy will be presented to showcase engagement in ethical trade practices using cooperative principles and highlighting the advantages of agricultural and consumer cooperatives working together across the value chain from a perspective of fairness and competitiveness. After the presentations, there will be a round table discussion followed by questions from the floor.
