Is the EU trade policy compatible with environmental commitments?
The upcoming Mercosur Summit in Montevideo, 5-6 December, could mark the announcement of the conclusion of the EU-Mercosur Free Trade Agreement, over two decades since talks began.
Significant protests, including demonstrations last week in Brussels led by European farmers and environmentalist organisations, have highlighted widespread concerns over the deal’s environmental risks and economic repercussions. Critics warn that the current agreement would not offer sufficient environmental commitments and safeguards, raising questions about its compatibility with planetary boundaries and the EU’s Green Deal agenda.
This webinar is organised by the Green Trade Network – an initiative of the Institute for European Environmental Policy – and will examine the environmental dimensions of the EU-Mercosur agreement as it currently stands and discuss alternative paths to ensure that trade agreements align with sustainability goals.
When 28 November 2024 at 11:30 – 12:30 CET
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Drawing insights from the report Alternatives for a fair and sustainable partnership between the EU and Mercosur: scenarios and guidelines coordinated by the Green Trade Network, the event will offer expert analysis of the environmental dimensions of the deal and explore actionable solutions, addressing key questions including
- What are the implications of the current deal for key EU climate commitments including legal obligations to the Paris Agreement enshrined in EU law?
- How will any deal impact implementation of the now-delayed EU Deforestation Regulation?
- Is the EU-Mercosur deal more, or less, vital given the rapidly-shifting geopolitical relationships between major trading blocs?
- Could the Global Biodiversity Framework be supported by the EU-Mercosur deal?
- What can we learn from this deal and its critics about the role of trade policy in enhancing or inhibiting global environmental action?
The Q&A session will provide participants with the opportunity to engage directly with our speakers, addressing critical questions on how to align the EU’s trade policy with environmental sustainability imperatives.
Join us at this pivotal moment to debate the future of trade policy and its role in enhancing global environmental action.
The aim of the Green Trade Network is to collectively promote a European agenda with a better alignment of trade policies and trade-impacting measures with key environmental and climate objectives. Subscribe to the Green Trade Network’s newsletter.
Panel:
- Markus W. Gehring, CISDL
- Mathilde Dupré, Veblen Institute
- Antoine Oger, IEEP
- Virginia Enssle, Fair Trade Advocacy Office (EU)
- Moderation: Pierre Leturcq, IEEP
