Regional trade agreements (RTAs) aim to promote free trade and economic integration and provide important ways to foster environmental objectives between trading partners. They complement the multilateral trading system and can take various forms including, Free Trade Agreements, Customs Unions, and Economic Integration Agreements.
Trade agreements are increasingly linked to environmental concerns as the world economy becomes more integrated and global environmental issues become more pressing.
Since 2005, OECD’s Joint Working Party on Trade and Environment (JWPTE) has been carrying out work on RTAs and the environment, focusing on four workstreams:
• Tracking typology of environmental provisions in RTAs
• Examining the implementation and effectiveness of environmental provisions in RTAs;
• Exploring ways to improve environmental policy coherence within these agreements;
• Organising workshops to ensure an inclusive agenda.
