The reform of the Energy Charter Treaty fails to meet the EU’s objectives
The Energy Charter Treaty (ECT) is a trade and investment agreement between countries in Europe and Asia that protects investments in the energy sector. Under the ECT, fossil fuel companies can sue governments in private arbitration for billions of dollars, for example, if government intervention against climate change affects future profits. In this short factsheet, […]
Politically controversial, but weak in content: The China-EU Investment Agreement
The investment agreement between China and the EU is highly controversial – and its future uncertain. It is unclear whether and when it will be ratified by the European Parliament. Nevertheless, the Comprehensive Agreement on Investment (CAI) is worth studying. The public debate often focuses on climate, labor, and human rights aspects. At least as […]
40 human rights and environmental NGOs warn against unnecessary and harmful delays to new sustainable battery rules
40 human rights and environmental NGOs are concerned to see a recent Council text proposing delays of up to four years for the introduction of rules aiming at reducing batteries’ carbon footprint, a delay of two years for the phase-in of mandatory supply chain checks for environmental and human rights abuses, as well as a […]
12 Arguments for a Raw Material Transition
This booklet demonstrates the various issues connected to human rights, development and the environment caused by the extraction, the processing and the consumption of raw materials. Those problems cannot be tackled by more efficiency, better systems of recycling, new technologies or a better governance alone. Until now, the issues of availability, finiteness and the sustainable […]
Busting myths around the Energy Charter Treaty
A guide for concerned citizens, activists, journalists and policy makers The Energy Charter Treaty, an investment agreement for the energy sector, has recently been in the spotlight. No other treaty has been used as often by investors to sue states for compensation in arbitration tribunals. It protects all investments in the energy sector, including coal […]
Alternatives for the ‘Energy and Raw Materials Chapters’ in EU trade agreements
How trade agreements could strengthen human rights and environmental protection in the raw materials sector The European Union is one of the largest importers of raw materials, with its companies being particularly dependent on the mining of minerals in other parts of the world. To secure a steady supply, the EU has on the one […]
Anchoring climate and environmental protection in EU trade agreements
How trade agreements could contribute to a more sustainable world economy In this report, Ciaran Cross takes on the task of thinking through what it would mean to integrate effective climate and environmental provisions in a trade agreement. The starting point for this exercise are existing trade agreements and WTO rules, which has the advantage […]
Supply chain due diligence: China’s role in the international debate and setting of standards
The debate on mandatory human rights supply chain due diligence is gaining momentum. Legal regulations are discussed extensively both at the international level as well as in Germany. In this debate, one country in particular is getting attention: China. According to some industry associations and symphatizing politicians, if Germany or the EU were to introduce […]
International regulatory cooperation and the public good
How “good regulatory practices” in trade agreements erode protections for the environment, public health, workers and consumers The EU's Trade Agreement with Canada (CETA) is the first EU agreement to include a comprehensive chapter on regulatory cooperation. Critical voices warn that regulatory cooperation is a gateway to deregulation and lowering environmental and consumer protection standards. […]