Environmental Issues in Economic Partnership Agreements: Implications for Developing Countries

by Beatrice Chaytor

by Beatrice Chaytor

Issue Paper 1

Do More

See also

Discuss this publicationShare your views with other visitors, and read what they have to say

This issue paper, titled “Environmental Issues in Economic Partnership Agreements: Implications for Developing Countries”, and written by Mrs. Beatrice Dove-Edwin, is a contribution to that process. The paper exhaustively reviews all rules related to trade and environment in several of the already signed EPAs. The aim of the paper is to enable ACP countries to understand how trade policy related to the environment has been introduced in EPAs, and how those policies might impact sustainable development in ACP countries. The paper starts by presenting the current European approach on trade and environment in those agreements. More specifically, it addresses the current state of negotiations, analyses precise proposals made, and explores some of the implications of introducing environmental issues in the EPAs.

Some of the issues for ACPs examined by the paper include a discussion of the difficulties of managing and coordinating the various regional groupings in the negotiations, the potential complementarities and conflicts with other existing international agreements (multilateral environmental agreements and WTO agreements), the challenges related to the implementation of new environmental standards, and the settlement of disputes as well as the strengthening of environmental capacities.

The main conclusion of the paper is that the incorporation of environmental provisions within the EPAs may present some benefits to ACP countries. These include increased enforcement of environmental laws and the raising of domestic environmental standards. However, developing countries will have to seek ways to mitigate some risks and challenges associated with internal and regional coordination in negotiations, legal burdens of the negotiating process itself and the implementation of obligations as well as the establishment and maintenance of appropriate levels of environmental protection and institution building. ACP countries will need appropriate packages of technical assistance, capacity building, and environmental cooperation to meet this new environmental agenda in their trade agreements.

3 responses to “Environmental Issues in Economic Partnership Agreements: Implications for Developing Countries”

1. Donna Caesar 8th December 2009 at 15:44

   Thank you for this informative paper.

2. judith wedderburn 10th December 2009 at 02:46

   Norman,
   Many thanks - provides very useful insights and analysis for an approach to our work on this subject in 2010.
   Judith

3. Peter Michael 18th February 2010 at 13:25

   This is good and will help in understanding better the linkage between climate change and trade.

   Best Wishes

Add a comment

Enter your details and a comment below, then click Submit Comment. We’ll review and publish the best comments.