Foreign Trade Policy

The harmonization of external trade policy of the EU under the Common commercial policy falls within the exclusive competence of the Community. The goal of the foreign trade policy is “to contribute in accordance with the common interest, to the harmonious development of world trade, the progressive abolition of the restrictions on international trade and the lowering of customs barriers” (Art. 131 TEC) .

Trade and environmental issues have increasingly taken a central role in discussions within the OECD, the GATT / WTO and UNCTAD. The Uruguay Round was in many ways a test case for sustainable development, the Community, acting in the name of the States, played an important role in maintaining the sustainable development agenda. A Council resolution in May 1993 on environmental protection and international trade gave a list of targets were largely achieved at the ministerial meeting in Marrakech, in particular by establishing a Committee on Trade and Environment. Proposals by the Council on clarifying the relationship between GATT trade principles and provisions in multilateral environmental agreements were largely adopted in the WTO working group on environmental and international trade.

In 1994, the Generalised (GSP) Community review. This resulted in a new system (Regulation 3281/94) to create special incentives, to include social and environmental integration in the fee structure for countries within the scope of the fall schedule. Environmental clauses in which international treaties approved products and complying with international production were promoted were effective in 1998. These were first criteria of the International Tropical Timber Organisation used. The schedule was subsequently amended and extended until December 2001 (Regulation 2820/98).

The activities of the EU environmental were also reflected in the formal approach to the Ministerial Conference in Seattle in December 1999, based on a Commission Communication ‘approach to the WTO Millennium Round the EU. “[70] In contrast to other key stakeholders included the approach of the EU’s explicit commitment to the environment. The Council considered it necessary “to ensure that an appropriate balance between further liberalization of trade and the strengthening of multilateral rules contributes to sustainable development, environmental protection, social progress, poverty reduction and consumer health