1. The trade-sustainability nexus:the evolution of the European Commission’s trade and sustainable development discourse from 1993 to 2022
- Author
-
Bertram, Caroline and Bertram, Caroline
- Abstract
This paper provides an in-depth analysis of the European Commission’s trade andsustainable development discourse from 1993 to 2022. By employing a discursiveinstitutionalist framework and examining a comprehensive corpus of over 1,400press documents, this study traces the discursive process that has created bothsignificant changes to, and persistent elements in, the Commission’strade-sustainability agenda. The analysis reveals noteworthy shifts within thediscourse, notably a transition from a primary concern with labour and humanrights during the 1990s to an increased focus on economic developmentand poverty reduction in the early 2000s. This was followed by a discerniblemove towards more stringent differentiation among developing countries andan amplified emphasis on reciprocity. In recent years, we are witnessing astrong focus on environmental and climate protection, labour rights, andenforceability. Thefindings underscore the enduring presence of trade-sustainability ideas within EU trade policy and their gradual evolution overtime, while contributing to the literature on the role of ideas in shaping theUnion’sexternalpolicies., This paper provides an in-depth analysis of the European Commission’s trade and sustainable development discourse from 1993 to 2022. By employing a discursive institutionalist framework and examining a comprehensive corpus of over 1,400 press documents, this study traces the discursive process that has created both significant changes to, and persistent elements in, the Commission’s trade-sustainability agenda. The analysis reveals noteworthy shifts within the discourse, notably a transition from a primary concern with labour and human rights during the 1990s to an increased focus on economic development and poverty reduction in the early 2000s. This was followed by a discernible move towards more stringent differentiation among developing countries and an amplified emphasis on reciprocity. In recent years, we are witnessing a strong focus on environmental and climate protection, labour rights, and enforceability. The findings underscore the enduring presence of trade-sustainability ideas within EU trade policy and their gradual evolution over time, while contributing to the literature on the role of ideas in shaping the Union’s external policies.
- Published
- 2023