ECA Working Groups & Task Forces

The ECA Working Groups (WGs) and Task Forces (TFs) are composed of ECA Members who contribute with their high expertise in delivering strong and clear positions that benefit the cocoa industry.

The ECA Pesticides & Contaminants Working Group
The ECA Pesticides & Contaminants Working Group deals with current and emerging issues and monitors regulatory developments mainly concerning contaminants, pesticides and other matters of common interest. WG members also contribute to scientifically reliable statements (for internal use or for customers) and position papers addressed to the EU institutions. Within the WG, three Task Forces focus on specific issues.

ECA is also a member of the Agri-Food Chain Roundtable For Plant Protection (AFRCT-PP), which constitutes an informal platform for agri-food chain partners to discuss and share information on plant protection, including biocides, biocontrol solutions and the implications of developing new plant breeding techniques for crop protection. The AFRCT-PP brings together industry associations in the agri-food chain whose activities are impacted by the European legislative framework on plant protection.

The Joint ECA-CAOBISCO Pesticides & Contaminants Working Group
The Joint ECA-CAOBISCO Pesticides & Contaminants Working Group is composed of experts from the two associations, and they meet twice a year. Technical in nature, this WG monitors regulatory developments connected to food safety and its activities are complementary to those of the ECA WG on Pesticides & Contaminants, i.e. the discussion on arising threats and concerns and the development of Joint strategies and industry positions to be addressed to national, European and international authorities. This WG collaborates with ICCO, research institutes at EU and cocoa-producing country levels, and plant protection products manufacturers.
The Joint ECA-PFP (Primary Food Processors) Food Safety Working Group
The Joint ECA-PFP (Primary Food Processors) Food Safety Working Group is composed of experts from the two associations, and they meet twice a year. The topics closely monitored by this WG are pesticides, heavy metals, mineral oils, and new breeding techniques.
The Joint ECA-CAOBISCO Quality & Productivity (Q&P) Working Group
The Joint ECA-CAOBISCO Quality & Productivity (Q&P) Working Group is composed of experts from the two associations, and they meet twice a year. This WG tackles issues, such as breeding variety, off-flavours, moisture, free fatty acids mitigation, soil fertility, pest and disease management, and planting material.
The ECA Trade Working Group
The ECA Trade Working Group monitors developments on the EU trade policy, notably negotiations for Free Trade Agreements and Economic Partnership Agreements, preferential tariff systems (Generalised System of Preferences), Rules of Origin, and customs issues. The WG also addresses non-tariff barriers (e.g. SPS issues and administrative requirements).
The Joint ECA-PFP (Primary Food Processors) Trade Working Group
The Joint ECA-PFP (Primary Food Processors) Trade Working Group is composed of experts from the two associations and reports on developments regarding the EU trade policy, notably on the Free Trade Agreements and Economic Partnership Agreements.
The ECA Logistics & Warehousing Working Group
The ECA Logistics & Warehousing Working Group follows the progress and assesses the impacts of EU regulatory developments, concerning the EU transport, port and logistics policies, including the EU Port Package, EU Sustainable & Smart Mobility Strategy, Trans-European Transport Network, and the EU digitalization agenda.
The ECA Sustainability Working Group
The ECA Sustainability Working Group monitors developments linked to sustainable cocoa which include: Deforestation (EU Deforestation Regulation), Labour-related matters in cocoa farming and practices (notably related to child labour) – Due Diligence legislation, and Certifications schemes, – in particular the ISO 34101/CEN Standard on Sustainable & Traceable cocoa and the new African Regional Standard on sustainable cocoa (ARS-1000)).
The ECA Environment Working Group
The ECA Environment Working Group reports on developments regarding the EU climate and environmental policy, notably the EU Green Deal, Farm to Fork Strategy, Circular Economy Action Plan, Carbon Tax, Food Waste and Energy Efficiency.
The Joint ECA-PFP (Primary Food Processors) Environment Working Group
The Joint ECA-PFP (Primary Food Processors) Environment Working Group is composed of experts from the two associations and follows the developments on food waste, the water framework directive and climate change.
The Joint Cocoa Research Fund
The Joint Cocoa Research Fund: ECA and CAOBISCO joined forces in 2013 for setting up this Research Fund (website available here), which is currently administered by ECA. The two associations are committed to working towards more sustainable cocoa whereby cocoa is safe for consumer consumption, complies with manufacturers’ quality requirements and meets the growing demand. Given deteriorating yields and quality levels in several countries, the need to rehabilitate existing cocoa producing land (through planting material, fertilizers), and growing consumer interest in cocoa sustainability, the review of sustainable industry needs in terms of quality and productivity is a key priority.

The Joint Research Fund focus areas are divided into three core research areas, managed by the Managerial Teams, composed by the members:
  • Research area: Resilient Cropping Systems (RCS)
  • Research area: Integrated Pest and Disease Management (IPDM)
  • Research area: Cocoa Quality and Food Safety (CQFS)

    On average, 3 projects (that typically run over a 2 to 5 year time-span) are administered and managed via the Research Fund at the same time.

    Current and past projects include:
    • Cocoa Bean Quality Requirements Guide (available here in English, French and Spanish) – completed
    • Detection of Cocoa Swollen Shoot Virus (CSSV) – completed
    • Research on the improvement of yield efficiency and resilience to climate change through better use of cocoa genetic resources (within the Collaborative Framework of Cacao Evaluation – CFCE): phase 1 completed – phase 2 underway
    • Research on occurrence and mitigation of cadmium in cocoa: phase 1 completed – phase 2 underway
    • Research on main sources of MOH contamination and entry points into the cocoa supply chain – underway
    • To understand the genetic basis of resistance to VSD in cacao and to develop high-throughput DNA tools to permit Marker Assisted Selection – underway
    • Mitigation of Aluminium contamination of cocoa beans – underway
    • Spatially-explicit recommendations for optimal levels of shade-tree cover for sustainable cocoa production – underway