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Sustainability Impact Assessment
Trade liberalisation is not an end in itself, but rather
an essential tool contributing to sustainable development.
In order to maximise its contribution to all pillars of sustainable
development, the full impacts of proposed liberalisation and
trade measures need to be assessed and fully understood for
policy decision-making. This will be done through the SIA
of the negotiations.
Sustainable development is development that "meets the
needs of the present without compromising the ability of future
generations to meet their own needs" and "requires
dealing with economic, social, and environmental policies
in a mutually reinforcing way". (Our Common Future, 1987)
The general objectives of the SIA are five fold:
- to provide in-depth information on linkages between trade,
the environment and development to ensure that EC-GCC negotiations
take account fully of sustainable development;
- to integrate the results of relevant studies and research
activities that will accompany the negotiations;
- to contribute to the definition of policies that can be
adopted both by the EC and the GCC to contribute to the optimal
outcome of negotiations for all components of sustainable
development;
- to create a basis for the discussion with European and
GCC stakeholders about implications of the negotiations on
sustainability;
- to build capacity by helping GCC countries participate
actively in negotiations in a way that promote sustainable
development.
The SIA will:
- include a clear definition of the options/scenarios
considered and a clear analysis of the mechanisms through
which the different options will affect social, economic and
environmental areas;
- define the trade measures and scenarios that might
be included in an EC-GCC FTA
- provide an analysis of the mechanisms through which
the measures under negotiation might impact the economic,
environmental and development aspects of sustainability.
- provide an assessment of the expected magnitude of
these impacts, using appropriate measures and indicators for
assessment of impacts, and making use of both qualitative
and quantitative techniques as appropriate;
- identify policy measures (trade and non-trade related)
that could effectively address any adverse impacts of liberalisation,
and/or promote positive impacts;
This analysis will be presented in such a way as to give
a concrete input for negotiators in their search for a balanced
set of policies on which to base their negotiating position.
The study will include trade and non-trade policy measures
to mitigate any negative impact(s) on sustainability and to
enhance positive impacts.
This project will include a comprehensive consultation process
by which all stakeholders, including regional organisations,
GCC representatives, civil society and business representatives,
can provide inputs into the SIA process. The organisation
of this consultation process will include information exchanges
through dedicated website, meetings and conferences and the
publication of a periodic newsletter providing an update on
progress of the project.
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