A new blueprint for environmental provisions in EU trade agreements

The EU is stepping up its efforts to implement the European Green Deal, but more needs to be done to integrate environmental objectives into all areas of EU policy, including international trade. As the main instruments of EU external policy, free trade agreements (“FTAs”) should be utilised for building consensus on multilateral reforms and for the EU to promote and support the achievement of sustainability objectives at a global level.

This briefing provides 13 concrete recommendations grouped under four focus areas to ensure the EU complies with EU Treaties.

• Section 1: aims at effectively anchoring the EU’s sustainability and environmental objectives into EU trade agreements and ensuring sufficient policy space is preserved for environmental action.
• Section 2: responds to the remit of the review of the TSD chapters, including the nature and scope of TSD environmental obligations.
• Section 3: addresses monitoring and enforcement mechanisms, including the establishment of a complaint mechanism by each Party and the possibility of sanctions for non-compliance with TSD obligations.
• Section 4: aims at ensuring good governance and democratic decision-making processes.