Internationalization of EUs Environmental Policy through FTA Negotiation -A Case Study of Korea-EU FTA

Abstract

The European Union(EU) has been the prime mover in the environmental field. Indeed, the EU has used a variety of policy means to lessen implementation gaps while improving on its implementation effectiveness. Given the lack of progress in the international environmental regime, Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) are potentially a significant means of addressing environmental policy at the international level. Thus, this study examines how the EU has made use of the FTA to improve on its implementation effectiveness in the environmental field by conducting the case study of Korea-EU FTA. Assuming that implementation effectiveness of environmental policy increases with the compatibility between domestic legislation and international law, this paper examines how the European Union has enhanced its compatibility with EU legislation through the Korea-EU FTA, thus improving on its implementation effectiveness in the environmental field. Focusing on the international strategy of EUs environmental standardization and the way it is reflected on the FTA, the objective of this article is to review the close relationship between the EUs environmental policy and bilateral trade agreement in closer detail.