It should provide acceptable working conditions and contribute to the development of the community, creating jobs, where possible. The development of an export product must not jeopardise local food security, and the processing should be done, as far as possible, in the South. They provide finance and training to build up the management capacity of the producer groups, and enable participation in campaigns to promote fair trade and create an international trade structure that benefits producers. The role of women in the decision-making process, both within the Southern producer group and the Northern fair trade organisations, is also emphasised. These include federations of producers, cooperatives, workshops for the handicapped, state organisations, private companies, and increasingly, Northern groups producing goods in the context of the 'social' economy.
Any group respecting the aforementioned criteria is a potential partner of the fair trade movement.
However, for a producer group to be accepted, it must be able to produce a marketable product, at a reasonable price, and in sufficient quantities. EFTA currently imports products from some 800 trading partners in 45 different countries in the South - representing 800,000 producer families or approximately five million people. Producers gain direct access to the EU 'fair trade' market, often leading to subsequent sales in the mainstream market. They are guaranteed a fair price and decide themselves how the extra premium they receive should be distributed in the best interests of their communities. Most producers only market part of their total production under the fair trade arrangement, the rest being sold under the usual 'mainstream' conditions.