Proponents of giving equal weight to labour and environment provisions in relation to commercial commitments in the EU’s free trade agreements were disappointed. On Tuesday, the European Commission ended a six-month consultation process with nongovernmental organisations and business by releasing a ‘non paper’ on how to strengthen so-called trade and …
TSD FTA chapters, Single Entry Point
EESC resolution adds to pressure on FTA partners to respect ILO conventions
The European Economic and Social Council almost unanimously adopted a resolution yesterday calling on the EU to step up its efforts to give greater weight to labour and environment chapters – known as TSD chapters – in its free trade agreements. This move adds to a rising number of calls on …
FTAs: EU Commission seeks ways around labour and environment sanctions
The centre-left S&D group, led by the chairman of the international trade committee, Bernd Lange, is in a renewed push for the EU to make the labour and environment provisions in its free trade agreements more enforceable, namely through potential commercial sanctions. The European Commission continues to resist, but is …
Insight: EU ramps up sustainable development in post-CETA trade agreements
Draft trade agreements currently under negotiation show the EU is ramping up its chapters on trade and sustainable development. One remaining open question is if these chapters will lead to a dispute settlement process that could lead to suspension of commercial preferences. The EU released the latest draft chapters …
FTAs: European Parliament trade committee chief tables sanctionable labour provisions
Bernd Lange, the social-democratic German MEP who chairs the trade committee of the European Parliament, has tabled concrete legal proposals for the inclusion of sanctions mechanisms for breaches to labour rules in EU free trade agreements. The Commission is still hesitant. The proposals were drawn up with the help of the German …