Priorities

The TSD Platform has formulated the following priorities:

• Promoting a value-based trade policy that serves present and future generations by striking a balance between profit, people and the planet.
• Anchoring commitments to sustainability such as the Paris Agreement at the core of FTAs.
• Conditioning the conclusion of FTAs on the protection of human and workers’ rights.
• Institutionalize a close cooperation between the EU and the International Labour Organization.
• Effectively enforcing binding social and environmental standards through positive and negative incentives, including support of capacity-building and rewards on the one hand, and effective monitoring and sanctioning on the other.
• Involvement of civil society organizations and empowerment of under-represented stakeholders in all stages of the implementation process.
• Thorough and continued impact assessment before and after the conclusion of FTAs that takes into account all levels and value dimensions.
• Mitigating risks through the set-up of transparency requirements, early warning systems and complaint bodies.
• Establishing functioning and impartial dispute settlement mechanisms.