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"Unlike conventional trade agreements, which focus on reducing barriers to trade, these next-generation pacts go much further: they harmonise regulatory frameworks, protect investment, establish streamlined dispute settlement mechanisms, and reflect a shared vision of sustainable development, human rights and democratic values and the rule of law."
I read the article linked in the OP. The rule of law clause goes to ensure that the local cartels can not extract from European companies doing business in LAC. In other words, the local governments needs to have tighter agreements with the cartels and the cartels have to have tighter controls over local gangs for the benefit of the European businesses.
Now I'm confused. Are you talking about the modernization of the EU-Mexico agreement (literally the subject of the cited article), the modernization of the EU-Chile agreement, and/or the new EU-Mercosur agreement?
I ask because you talk of the EU doing business in LAC - Latin America plus the Carribean. The only agreement with CARIFORUM mentioned in the article was penned back in 2008. It's not one of the broader "next-generation" agreements that the article discusses.
Here's one example of how these new agreements "reflect a shared vision of ... the rule of law". The EU-Mercosur agreement prohibits either side from "not enforcing environmental and labour laws".
Perhaps if you could likewise quote a sentence or two it would help clarify what it is you are reading into the rule of law as reflected in which agreement(s).
The verbatim agreement text supporting the above quote:
In addition, the Parties agree in Article XX [TSD].2(3) of this Agreement that they should not weaken the levels of protection afforded in domestic environmental or labour law with the intention of encouraging trade or investment. The Parties recall that, under Article XX [TSD].2(5) of this Agreement, they agree that they shall not fail, through a sustained or recurring course of action or inaction, to effectively enforce their environmental or labour laws, in order to encourage trade or investment. In this regard, the parties acknowledge the importance of the provision of appropriate available means to perform such enforcement. Moreover, pursuant to Article XX [TSD].2(6) of this Agreement the Parties shall not apply environmental and labour laws in a manner that would constitute a disguised restriction on trade or an unjustifiable or arbitrary discrimination.
Comments
itscitizensthe locals in the last 30 years. Has it?I ask because you talk of the EU doing business in LAC - Latin America plus the Carribean. The only agreement with CARIFORUM mentioned in the article was penned back in 2008. It's not one of the broader "next-generation" agreements that the article discusses.
Here's one example of how these new agreements "reflect a shared vision of ... the rule of law". The EU-Mercosur agreement prohibits either side from "not enforcing environmental and labour laws".
Perhaps if you could likewise quote a sentence or two it would help clarify what it is you are reading into the rule of law as reflected in which agreement(s).
The verbatim agreement text supporting the above quote: https://circabc.europa.eu/ui/group/09242a36-a438-40fd-a7af-fe32e36cbd0e/library/19d538eb-d33c-4039-8afa-42dfe7cc66b6/details?download=true