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This document has been made available in electronic format
by the International Co-operative Alliance (ICA)
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July, 1997
(Source: ICA Review, Vol.90 No.2 - Annual Report 1996-1997, pp.40-42)


International Consumer Co-operative Organisation 1996/1997(ICCO)

Report by Guiseppe Fabretti/Antonella Belfiori
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Executive Committee
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Chairman:	Giuseppe Fabretti (Italy)
Vice-Chairman:	Masao Ohya (Japan)
Secretary:	Antonella Belfiori (Italy)

Members:	Manfred Dabrunz (Germany); Lars Hillbom (Sweden); 
Patrice Jolivet (France); Peter Szilagyi (Hungary); Lloyd Wilkinson (United Kingdom).

This Specialised Organisation of the International Co-operative Alliance 
was founded in 1969, as the ICA Consumer Committee - Comite des 
consommateurs de l'ACI, referred to also as ICA Committee for Consumer 
Co-operatives -Comite de l'ACI pour les coopˇratives des consommateurs. 

Aims
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The organisation initiates discussion on the crucial problems of co-operative 
consumer policy; communicates information both to ICA members and to 
organizations outside the co-operative movement; gives advice on consumer 
matters to new consumer co-operatives; co-operates with other ICA 
specialized bodies; represents co-operative consumer interests to
other international co-operative or non co-operative organizations; 
collaborates with governmental and non-governmental agencies for 
consumer affairs; and publishes information on matters of interest to 
consumers, such as consumer protection, through the press and other media.

Membership 
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The ICA International Consumer Co-operative Organisation is made 
up of member organisations from the following countries by region. 
Africa: Ghana, the Americas: Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Costa Rica; 
Asia and the Pacific: Australia, Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Israel, 
Japan, Kuwait; Europe: Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, 
Germany, Hungary, Italy, Portugal, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom.

Finances
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The ICCO is financed by an annual subscription based on the financial 
activity of its members. Since 1992, the minimum and maximum annual
subscription rates have been maintained at CHF 500 and 2000 respectively.

Meetings:
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The following meetings were held in 1996

-	Executive Committee: March (Hamburg)
-	Executive Committee: October (Budapest)
-	Plenary Session: October (Budapest)

1997 meetings:

-	Executive Committee: May (Brussels)
-	Executive Committee: September (Geneva)
-	Plenary Session: September (Geneva)

Activities
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Co-operative Agenda 21  - Consumer Section:
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Both the ICA and its specialised bodies committed themselves to 
environmental policies at the Tokyo Congress in 1992 and at the 
Rio Summit. ICCO members have collaborated in the final drawing
up of the Co-operative Agenda 21 - Consumer Sector, stressing 
especially two points: the promotion of consumer and production
patterns, limiting the excessive use of natural resources, and 
the development of an awareness linking lifestyle to consumption patterns
that respect the environment.

Consumer Co-operative Guidelines:
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Following the 1995 Review of Co-operative Principles, the ICCO has 
drawn up guidelines for consumer co-operatives which were submitted 
to the ICA Secretariat in Geneva.

Co-operative Policy in Developing Countries:
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The ICCO has drawn up a project for the development and strengthening
of consumer co-operatives in Latin America in collaboration with the ICA and 
the Swedish Co-operative Centre. This is a four-year project promoted by 
ICA, ANCC, SCC and ICCO in the following countries: Mexico, Guatemala, 
Honduras, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Brazil and 
Argentina. The first evaluation phase of the project is currently being implemented.

Co-operative Training:
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In order to further inform and update cooperative managers, the 
ICCO has drawn up a project for an international seminar on consumption 
and the new biotechnologies in co-operation with EUROCOOP. The project 
has been granted funding by the European Community.

International Consumer Day:
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Each year ICCO publishes a message on the occasion of the International 
Consumer Day, which is celebrated on March 15th. The 1996 message 
celebrated fair trade and solidarity with the countries in the southern part 
of the world; while the 1997 message analysed the problems concerned with 
the evolution of the negative impacts connected with the production of goods.