Revision of EU standards on trade impact assessments
Civil society organizations call for public consultation
In an open letter addressed to the EU Commissioner, Ms. Malmström, and Vice President, Mr. Timmermans, 45 civil society organizations and networks, among them FIAN International, have called on the EU to ensure transparency and civil society participation in the current revision of the EU Handbook for Trade Sustainability Impact Assessment (SIA).
The undersigning organizations welcome the initiative to revise the handbook as an important step towards bringing trade and investment agreements in line with the EU’s human rights obligations.
Nevertheless, they stress that such revision must not take place behind closed doors and must take into account the recommendations made by civil society organizations and experts in the area of SIA and Human Rights Impact Assessments over the last decade.