Joining us

 

Why you should join ECA

Intelligence

• A cost-effective way to stay up to speed on EU regulatory developments and latest breaking news from the EU institutions that could affect your business before they are implemented.

Networking

• Connect with top cocoa professionals in and outside Europe and meet your peers on a regular basis to exchange on today’s opportunities and challenges for the cocoa sector.

A strong and credible industry voice

• We carry the weight of an industry to put forward your concerns to the EU authorities.

A protective shield

• We defend your interests vis-à-vis the EU and other key stakeholders in the cocoa sector.
• We ensure that the EU authorities fully understand and take into account the challenges faced by the cocoa sector.

Development Policy: the sustainability of the supply chain

• We interact with the authorities of cocoa producing countries to better understand their priorities.
• We help the EU understand how all actors can join forces for lasting, impactful and positive change on the ground.
• We inform our Members of EU development funding available for PPP.

Consensus and Coalition Building

With so many business interests actively engaged in EU affairs in Brussels, it is challenging for companies to have a strong share of voice. The EU authorities engage very closely with ECA, which is a credible and well- recognised trade association. ECA has a proven track record of providing timely, reliable and scientifically-sound information to the EU. By doing the necessary groundwork, we aim to understand our Members’ requests and needs, and we seek alignment to present one strong industry voice. We are consulted by the EU Authorities on a regular basis on subjects of paramount concern to the EU cocoa industry, including Food Safety, Trade, Sustainability, Quality & Productivity, Environment, Labelling and Logistics.

Moreover, the cocoa voice stands to be heard better if we join forces with other structures. Thus, over the years, we have built strong strategic alliances with other actors in the cocoa supply chain, including Caobisco, the Federation of Cocoa Commerce (FCC), the International Cocoa Initiative (ICI), the International Cocoa Organisation (ICCO), the World Cocoa Foundation (WCF) – and beyond cocoa, with the Primary Food Processors’ Platform (PFP). In addition, ECA is actively engaged in forums such as the ICCO Consultative Board, and enjoys Observer Status in the Codex Alimentarius Commission of the FAO. ECA is also an expert member within ISO (International Organization for Standardization).

A bridge between the EU and cocoa-producing countries

The EU is the largest importer of cocoa from the world’s top producing countries. We act as an intermediary between the EU and cocoa-producing countries when issues of key concern for the cocoa sector are under discussion at production and/or consumption levels.

The ECA Toolbox

ECA Grind Statistics

• Published each quarter for more than 15 years, the Grind Statistics are a key source of credible information for the industry.

ECA Trade MasterTable

• A tool, published twice a year, to find out applicable tariffs and duties for cocoa and semi-finished products in cocoa producing and cocoa-consuming countries.

EU Regulatory Update

• Published twice a year, use this tool to find out what EU regulatory developments have occurred over the last quarter in the areas of Food Safety, Trade, Sustainability, Environment, Labelling and Logistics & Warehousing.

Joint Residue Library

• ECA has joined forces with Caobisco to develop a bespoke library of scientific data – fed into by our Member companies on a confidential basis – to help substantiate industry positioning on food safety concerns.

Fact sheets and updates

• ECA produces concise fact sheets on key topics in the areas of Food Safety, Trade, Sustainability and Environment.

The Joint Research Fund

Together with CAOBISCO, ECA has set up and manages the Joint Research Fund for Industry-led research projects. Companies join the Fund at a modest cost and can then collectively decide on which projects should be supported.