The International Coffee Council (ICC) is inviting the United States Government to reconsider its planned withdrawal from the International Coffee Agreement 2007.
It intends to send a high-level International Coffee Organization (ICO) delegation to meet with US officials in May.
The ICO is the intergovernmental group responsible for administering the international commodity agreement between coffee producing and consuming countries, whose objective is to strengthen the global coffee sector and promote its sustainable expansion.
From 9 to 13 April at the Council’s 121st session in Mexico City, ICO Executive Director José Sette reported that on 29 March, the ICO Secretariat received a communication from the US announcing its withdrawal from the International Coffee Agreement 2007.
According to the provisions of the Agreement, the withdrawal would become effective on 27 June 2018.
José has presented a resolution regretting the withdrawal, and urging the US to reconsider its decision, which was approved by Council members after a minor inclusion of the words “respective private sector organizations” in the call to ask Member Governments to encourage the US to continue its inclusion of the ICO.
The resolution acknowledges the US as one of the driving forces behind the foundation of the organisation, and its active role in the subsequent growth of the group.
The ICC recognises that the US is the largest consumer of coffee in the world, having an annual economic impact exceeding US$225 billion, and generating more than 1.6 million jobs.
It also acknowledges that the National Coffee Association and the Specialty Coffee Association, groups that represent the coffee sector in the US, support the continued membership of the US in the ICO.
The Council also agreed to send the high-level ICO delegation, composed of the Chair of the Council, José Sette and interested members, to the US in May.
