Status, effectiveness and reforms
The EU wants to make its trade policy more environmentally and climate-friendly with so-called sustainability chapters. But does it work? Thomas Fritz doubts the effectiveness of the sustainability chapters in this study. Sustainability chapters are not enough to effectively promote environmental and climate protection. They are only part of comprehensive trade agreements, the priority of which is to remove barriers to trade, which in principle include environmental legislation. EU trade agreements therefore remain in tension with environmental concerns. Trade agreements that are intended to promote serious sustainable development, environmental and climate protection should therefore be characterised by a reversal of previous priorities. Clear prioritisation of environmental and climate protection over economic provisions is needed. Read more about the current status, effectiveness and reform attempts of the sustainability chapters in our new study.
The FactSheet summarises some of the most important statements from the extensive study by Thomas Fritz and briefly outlines the weaknesses of the sustainability chapters.
English (US)