Trade Agreements and their Potential Impact on Environmental Protection

This briefing first provides a theoretical discussion of the interaction between trade agreements and measures to protect the environment. It then provides an analysis of Scotland's position in the context of emerging UK post-Brexit trade agreements, taking into account the devolved context. Section 2 explains the functions of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) and bilateral or multilateral free trade agreements (FTAs) Section 3 outlines how different types of environmental protection measures may interact with international trade. Section 4 provides a number of case studies on the interactions between trade rules and environment, animal welfare and food safety ambitions. First, two detailed case studies on
trade in eggs and egg products, and on chlorine-washed chicken are provided, followed by a number of shorter case studies outlining the trade dimensions of proposed environmental measures in Scotland. Finally, section 5 outlines the interactions between devolution, trade and environmental standards, providing a summary of Scotland's position as a devolved nation in the context of emerging post-Brexit trade agreements