State of play, 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 questions 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 primary purpose of which is to remove barriers to trade, including, in principle, environmental legislation. EU trade agreements therefore remain in tension with environmental concerns. Trade agreements that are intended to promote seriously sustainable development, environmental protection and climate protection must therefore be characterised by a reversal of previous priorities. Clear priority rules for environmental and climate protection over economic rules would be needed. Read more about the current status, effectiveness and reform attempts of the sustainability chapters in our new study.
The FactSheet summarizes some of the most important statements from the extensive study by Thomas Fritz and briefly shows the weaknesses of the sustainability chapters.
