The question of how to put sustainability at the heart of the EU’s trade policy, and retain public public support for it, has become a vital issue for EU policymakers. So, too, is getting the EU and wider international community to respect their commitments on social, labour and environmental standards.
Yet while respecting human rights and social standards has been an EU objective for six years, progress towards making this a reality has been mixed.
This special report looks at what is new in the European Commission’s trade strategy and how trade unions and civil society groups can be involved in monitoring the implementation and upholding the terms of the EU’s trade agreements.
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Trade policy must be sustainable or lose public support, says Parliament’s trade chief
EU lawmakers must put sustainability at the heart of the bloc's trade policy or risk losing public support for it, says Bernd Lange. And that means having civil society at its heart, adds the German lawmaker who chairs the European Parliament’s International Trade committee.
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The EU in Africa: will Member States follow the lead?
2021 could prove to be a special year for Euro-African relations. Since last year’s agenda was essentially postponed, a lot is now on the table: a proposed new partnership, a EU-AU leaders’ summit, and the finalization of the post-Cotonou agreement. Giovanni …