Sustainable Development Standards in EU Preferential Trade Agreements

Abstract

AbstractThis chapter examines the evolution of sustainable development standards in European Union (EU) trade agreements and attempts to explain the drivers for both their stability and change over the years by paying particular attention to international and institutional factors. It looks at both definitional and normative components of sustainable development standards, linking them to a range of international norms incorporated into EU agreements. The chapter argues that the EU’s desire to project a certain idea of trade globally and institutional path-dependence in EU trade policymaking explains the evolution and particular design of social standards in EU preferential trade agreements, as the Commission strategically engages with societal actors. It also discusses how the EU’s approach has attracted followers across the globe, leading to the diffusion of its template and shaping of the global trade agenda. The recent changes in the makeup of sustainable development standards reflect the changing perceptions of trade policy within the EU and its growing politicization.