Labour Standards Provisions in EU Free Trade Agreements: Reflections on the European Commission's Reform Agenda

Harrison, James, Barbu, Mirela, Franz Christian Ebert and Campling, Liam, (2019). Labour Standards Provisions in EU Free Trade Agreements: Reflections on the European Commission's Reform Agenda. World Trade Review, 18(4), 635-657

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  • Sub-type Journal article
    Author Harrison, James
    Barbu, Mirela
    Franz Christian Ebert
    Campling, Liam
    Title Labour Standards Provisions in EU Free Trade Agreements: Reflections on the European Commission's Reform Agenda
    Appearing in World Trade Review
    Volume 18
    Issue No. 4
    Publication Date 2019-11-02
    Place of Publication Cambridge
    Publisher Cambridge University Press
    Start page 635
    End page 657
    Language eng
    Abstract Labour standards provisions within the Trade and Sustainable Development (TSD) chapters of EU Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) are presented as a key element of the EU's commitment to a ‘value-based trade agenda’. But criticism of TSD chapters has led the European Commission to commit to improving their implementation and enforcement, creating a critical juncture in the evolution of the EU's trade–labour linkage. This contribution synthesizes findings from academic studies that have examined the effectiveness of labour standards provisions in EU FTAs. It then considers the reform agenda as presented by the European Commission, and explains how some of the proposals could tackle failures identified. However, it also argues that there are various limitations with the Commission's current proposals, and outlines how legal obligations and institutional mechanisms created by trade agreements could better be harnessed to improve working conditions and rights at work around the world.
    Copyright Holder The Authors
    Copyright Year 2020
    Copyright type All rights reserved
    DOI https://doi.org/10.1017/S1474745618000204
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    Created: Fri, 19 Jun 2020, 19:23:03 JST by Masovic, Ajsela on behalf of UNU CRIS