Methodology for assessing the impacts of trade agreements on biodiversity and ecosystems

Trade liberalisation introduces changes to economic sectors, increasing or decreasing demand – and therefore production – in trade partner countries. These changes can have an impact on biodiversity, ecosystems and the services they provide.

Consequently, biodiversity impacts of EU free trade agreements (FTAs) need to be systematically identified. At minimum, these impacts should be assessed in a qualitative manner, using existing case studies, expert knowledge and stakeholder inter-views. For the most significant biodiversity impacts, quantified analysis should be carried out whenever possible.

This document provides a dedicated methodological framework for assessing the impact of EU Free Trade Agreements on biodiversity in a structured and consistent manner, with a view to improve the transparency and robustness of the assessment.