Greening regional trade agreements on non-tariff measures through technical barriers
to trade and regulatory co-operation
This report explores how regional trade agreements (RTAs) can serve as a vehicle to
reflect environmental objectives in chapters and articles dealing with technical barriers
to trade and regulatory co-operation. In particular, the analysis builds upon examples
from seven recent RTAs that aim at deep economic integration, and explores ways to
further incorporate environmental objectives. The report identifies a range of options
to reconcile economic and environmental objectives, related to areas of technical
barriers to trade and regulatory co-operation, by incorporating environmental considerations
as overarching principles, provisions on regulatory impact assessments and ex post
evaluations, non-regression clauses, and dedicated chapters and sectoral annexes.
Published on December 22, 2020
In series:OECD Trade and Environment Working Papersview more titles