Fostering the positive linkages between trade and sustainable development

Trade is a central factor in shaping not only global, but also regional and local development. Trade policy has an especially important part to play in achieving the SDGs.

The premise for this proposal is that trade has the power to produce positive outcomes when the policies which define the rules of the game are framed and designed in a way to promote access to markets, fair prices and standards of living for farmers, as well as alleviating rural poverty and ensuring sustainable farming practices.

Addressing the relation between trade and SDGs requires an integrated approach to policy-making and inclusive governance.

The main objective of this project is to contribute to build new opportunities for fostering the positive sustainability impacts of trade supported by improved design and framing of trade policy at national, EU and global level, including WTO modernization, increased policy coherence at different domains including agricultural, energy, climate, environmental and nutritional policies.

The SDGs agenda requires a holistic approach allowing the contextual evaluation of several dimensions at the same time by measuring co-benefits and trade-offs.

For this reason, we propose an integrated and systemic approach that combines several quantitative models from different perspectives, and qualitative methods such as specific country/supply chain case studies, Lab-in-the Field experiments and a dynamic trade game considering the fact that SDGs are highly context-related.

A wide consultation process involving stakeholders both in the EU and in the partner countries in all the project stages will ensure the transparency and balance of conclusions and policy recommendations.

The proposal is directly connected to the work programme “Food security, sustainable agriculture and forestry, marine, maritime and inland water research and the bioeconomy” through analysing how agricultural trade can contribute to meet global sustainability challenges and objectives.