Aachen, the Fairtrade city

The city of Aachen was awarded the title "Fairtrade Town" in September 2011. At the time, it was the 54th city worldwide. There are now over 900 Fairtrade municipalities and districts, including the towns of Eschweiler and Alsdorf and the Aachen city region in our neighborhood. Further information can be found on the city map and in the Fairtrade Towns directory

The city of Herzogenrath is currently also applying for this award (as of April 2025).

Fairtrade focuses on fair trade relations with people in the Global South. As a municipality, the city of Aachen takes this issue to heart and also invites citizens to support fair trade.

The idea: Fairtrade Towns

What are Fairtrade Towns?

Fairtrade Towns specifically promote fair trade at local level and are the result of a successful network of people from civil society, politics and business who are committed to fair trade.

The five criteria for a Fairtrade city

1. Council resolution
   The municipality adopts a council resolution to support fair trade. Fair trade coffee and another product are served at all public meetings and in the mayor's office.
   
   
2. Steering group
   A local steering group coordinates the activities on site. This group consists of representatives from civil society, politics and administration and business/trade.
   
   
3. Fairtrade products in the product range
   At least two fair trade products are offered in local retail stores and florists as well as in cafés and restaurants. The guideline here is the number of inhabitants in the municipality.
   
   
4. Civil society
   Fair trade products are used in public institutions such as schools, clubs and churches. There are also educational activities on the subject of fair trade.
   
   
5. Media
   The local media report on various activities on the way to becoming a Fairtrade Town.

Fair shopping & enjoyment

One focus of activities in Aachen is the promotion of sustainable consumption and small owner-managed stores that offer Fairtrade products. This also strengthens Aachen as a shopping city.

• The FAIRhandel(n) alliance in Aachen - a coalition of civil society organizations - has created the city map "Gut einkaufen in Aachen" (Shopping well in Aachen): It provides information about stores with fair trade products: Fair trade city map for Aachen
• Since 2019, the Fairtrade Fair in the Aula Carolina has been an important fixture in Aachen's annual Fairtrade program. In 2025, the Fairtrade Fair will take place on August 23 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. in the Aula Carolina.
• You can get a brief impression of the Fairtrade Fair (in 2022) here:
  

In the best Fairtrade company

The Fairtrade family in the city and city region has grown steadily in recent years. This includes the Fairtrade towns of Eschweiler and Alsdorf, and soon also Herzogenrath. The Aachen city region has also been a Fairtrade district for several years.

Fairtrade and global justice can already be experienced in daycare centers: In Aachen, the Herz Jesu daycare center and the Grünenthaler Straße daycare center are Fairtrade daycare centers.

Fairtrade is also a focus in 4 schools, namely the Inda-Gymnasium, the Anne-Frank-Gymnasium, the Einhard-Gymnasium and the Berufskolleg für Wirtschaft und Verwaltung (BWV).

More daycare centers and additional primary and secondary schools can be added to the district!

In addition, the Catholic University, RWTH and FH Aachen are certified as Fairtrade Universities.

Aachen is therefore ideally positioned to anchor the topic of Fairtrade throughout the region. And because Fairtrade is represented by so many organizations in the Aachen region, there have been city-region-wide Fairtrade Action Days around Fairtrade Day in May since 2022. In 2025, the action days will take place from May 9-11 with numerous offers in Aachen.

Information on all offers can be found on the website of the city region

Further topics