GCILS Fellow Professor Anne Thies and Radbound professor Henri De Waele are hosting a interdisciplinary conference: “Talk the Talk, Walk the Walk?” The Enforcement of Environmental and Human Rights Obligations in the External Relations of the European Union.
In the 21st century, the European Union is firmly committed to pursuing a sustainable trade policy. Consequently, in its trade agreements with so-called ‘third countries’, it has increasingly included ‘Trade and Sustainable Development’ (TSD) chapters – for instance with Chile, Mexico and New Zealand. These chapters commit the partners to comply with international law obligations, inter alia dealing with protection of the environment, workers’ rights, and gender equality. However, the legal implications of integrating such international law commitments into EU trade agreements, and linking them to domestic obligations related to sustainable development, are not always that clear. Does the manoeuvre merely ‘remind’ signatories of existing obligations? Or, does the inclusion actually create additional duties for the EU, its Member States, as well as the Union’s partners and other stakeholders? To what extent do such agreements (and their expected implementation) provide additional international, European or domestic options for public and private enforcement of international law of such non-trade/environmental and social policy aspects? If they do, what are the ensuing rights and obligations for private stakeholders specifically? Positive answers to these questions would mean a veritable ‘brave new world’ is on the horizon, where more actors than ever may seek to ensure respect for sustainability goals around the world.
The conference will begin on Thursday, 18 June, 1pm, and end on Friday, 19 June, 6pm, and is funded by the Radbound-Glasgow Collaborative Fund.
For more details, please contact Professor Thies (Anne.Thies@glasgow.ac.uk).
