Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-lnqnp Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-23T03:41:47.886Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

The Social Dimension in EU Free Trade Agreements: ASEAN Perspectives

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  06 September 2017

Hoang Ha Hai
Hoang Ha Hai*
Affiliation:
Hanoi National University of Education, 136 Xuan Thuy, Hanoi, Vietnam.
*
Email: [email protected]
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

This article analyses the positions of ASEAN countries on provisions of environmental and social sustainability included in the EU free trade agreements (FTA). In the EU’s new generation FTAs with ASEAN countries, there has been a notable and systematic EU approach of linking international labour conventions and multilateral environmental agreements (MEAs) in its trade agreements, which reflects its ambition to play a significant role in ‘harnessing globalization’. However, during trade negotiations, contradictory positions between two sides originate from their different political, socio-economic and cultural backgrounds. When considering the developing countries’ objections to the issue from an ASEAN perspective, three main decisive points can be identified: the exclusive reliance on economic cost-related arguments, different perceptions of the trade-labour/environment nexus, and political and cultural-relativist arguments. Practical findings show that the EU faces resistance to this linkage from the ASEAN countries, which weakens its ability to promote universal social norms through trade.

Type
Articles
Information
European Review , Volume 25 , Issue 4 , October 2017 , pp. 532 - 549
Copyright
© Academia Europaea 2017 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1. Cited from New Strait Times Online (2015) Exclusive: EU says trade, investment relations with Malaysia will be even stronger. http://www.nst.com.my/node/81737 (accessed 25 September 2016).Google Scholar
2. García, M. (2010) Fears and strategies: The European Union, China and their Free Trade Agreements in East Asia. Journal of Contemporary European Research, 6(4), p. 501.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
3. Lim, P. (2012) ASEANs relations with the EU: Obstacles and opportunities. European External Affairs Review, July, pp. 52–53.Google Scholar
4. Pratruangkrai, P. (2006) Burma political issue holding up EU-ASEAN free-trade talks. http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2006/07/29/business/business_30009860.php (accessed 25 May 2013).Google Scholar
5. Petersson, M. (2006) Myanmar in EU–ASEAN relations. Asia Europe Journal, 4(4), pp. 563–581.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
6. Cuyvers, L., Chen, L., Goethals, L. and Ghislain, S. (2013) EU-ASEAN FTAs: Does One Size Fit All? Discussion paper. No. 91 (Centre for ASEAN Studies. Antwerp (Belgium)), p. 59.Google Scholar
7. Manners, I. (2002) Normative power Europe: A CONTRADICTION IN TERMS? Journal of Common Market Studies, 40(2), p. 239.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
8. Acharya, A. (2001) Constructing a Security Community in Southeast Asia: ASEAN and the Problem of Regional Order (London/New York: CRC Press).Google Scholar
9. Diez, T. and Manners, I. (2007) Reflecting on normative power Europe. In: F. Berenskoetter and M. J. Williams (Eds.), Power in World Politics (New York: Routledge), p. 174.Google Scholar
10. Meunier, S. and Nicolaïdis, K. (2006) The European Union as a conflicted trade power. Journal of European Public Policy, 13(6), 906–925.Google Scholar
11. European Community (2004) World Trade Organization, Trade Policy Review, WT/TPR/G/136, 23 June, p. 8. https://www.wbginvestmentclimate.org/uploads/FIAS+Competition+Policy+final.pdf (accessed 25 February 2013).Google Scholar
12. González Garibay, M. (2011) The trade‐labour and trade‐environment linkages: Together or apart? Journal of International Trade Law and Policy, 10(2), p. 166.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
13. European Commission (2006) Global Europe: Competing in the World (COM (2006) 567), p. 5.Google Scholar
14. European Commission (2010) Trade, Growth and World Affairs: Trade Policy as a Core Component of the EU’s 2020 Strategy (COM (2010) 612), p. 8.Google Scholar
15. European Commission (2012) Communication from the Commission to the Council, the European Parliament and the European Economic and Social Committee: Trade, Growth and Development: Tailoring Trade and Investment Policy for Those Countries Most in Need (COM (2012) 22), p. 2.Google Scholar
16. Durán, G.M. and Morgera, E. (2012) Environmental Integration in the EU’s External Relations: Beyond Multilateral Dimensions (Oxford/Portland: Hart Publishing), pp. 144–172.Google Scholar
17. Bretherton, C. and Vogler, J. (2006) The European Union as a Global Actor (London/New York: Routledge), pp. 85–86.Google Scholar
18. Orbie, J. (2011) Promoting labour standards through trade: Normative power or regulatory state Europe? In: R.G. Whitman (Ed.), Normative Power Europe Empirical and Theoretical Perspectives (UK: Palgrave Macmillan), pp. 160–183.Google Scholar
19. Bossuyt, F. (2009) The social dimension of the new generation of EU FTAs with Asia and Latin America: Ambitious continuation for the sake of policy coherence. European Foreign Affairs Review, 14, pp. 703–722.Google Scholar
20. Mandelson, P. (2006) Trade policy and decent work intervention – a speech at the EU Decent Work Conference, Brussels, 5 December 2006. http://trade.ec.europa.eu/doclib/docs/2006/december/tradoc_131431.pdf (accessed 2 May 2013).Google Scholar
21. European Commission (2010) Commission Services’ Position Paper on the Trade Sustainability Impact Assessment of the Free Trade Agreement between the EU and ASEAN (Brussels), p. 6. http://trade.ec.europa.eu/doclib/docs/2010/july/tradoc_146294.pdf (accessed 25 May 2013).Google Scholar
22. Cited from, Hanouz, M.D. and Geiger, T. (2010) EnablingTrade_ASEAN Region, World Economic Forum (Geneva), p. 1. http://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_EnablingTrade_ASEANRegion_Report_2010.pdf.Google Scholar
23. Purugganan, J. (2010) Business as usual in ASEAN’s trade policy. Retrieved from http://focusonpoverty.org/business-as-usual-in-aseans-trade-policy/.Google Scholar
24. Bøås, M. (2002) The trade‐environment nexus and the potential of regional trade institutions. In: S. Breslin, C.W. Hughes, N. Phillips and B. Rosamond (Eds.), New Regionalism in the Global Political Economy: Theories and Cases (London: Routledge), p. 52.Google Scholar
25. Lian, K.K. and Robinson, A.N. (2002) Strengthening sustainable development in regional inter-governmental governance: Lessons from the ‘ASEAN Way’. Singapore Journal of International & Comparative Law, 6, p. 643.Google Scholar
26.See examples in , Ibitz, A. (2012) Environmental policy coordination in ASEAN: The case of waste from electrical and electronic equipment. ASEAS – Austrian Journal of South-East Asian Studies, 5(1), pp. 38–42.Google Scholar
27. Letchumanan, R. (2010) Is there an ASEAN Policy on Climate Change? Environment Division, ASEAN Secretariat, p. 52. http://www.lse.ac.uk/ideas/publications/reports/pdf/sr004/aseC.pdf (accessed 2 June 2014).Google Scholar
28. Dosch, J. (2011) Reconciling trade and environmental protection in ASEAN-China relations: More than political window dressing? Journal of Current Southeast Asian Affairs, 30(2), p. 8.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
29. Azis, I.J. (1996) Resolving possible tensions in ASEAN’s future trade: Using ‘analytic hierarchy process’. ASEAN Economic Bulletin, 12, p. 312.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
30. Dosch, J. (2010) Balancing Trade Growth and Environmental Protection in the Mekong: Key Issues . Series on Trade and environment in ASEAN – Fact sheet, p. 1. http://www.iisd.org/tkn/pdf/balancing_trade_mekong.pdf (accessed 2 May 2013).Google Scholar
31. Gupwell, D. and Gupta, N. (2008) EU FTA negotiations with India, ASEAN and Korea: The question of fair labour standards. Asia Europe Journal, 7(1), pp. 86–87.Google Scholar
32. Cuyvers, L. (2013) The Sustainable Development Clauses in Free Trade Agreements: An EU Perspective for ASEAN? UNU-CRISIS. W-2013/10, p. 10.Google Scholar
33. Cited from Miller, J. (2001) The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC). http://dollarsandsense.org/archives/2001/0101abcs.html (accessed 2 June 2014).Google Scholar
34. Sussangkarn, C. (1997) ASEAN beyond AFTA: Initiatives in labor market co-operation and integration. DRI Quarterly Review, 12(3), pp. 3–8.Google Scholar
35. Lanzona, J.L.A. (2014) Implications of an EU FTA to the Philippine Labor Market. Philippine Institute for Development Studies, Discussion Paper Series No 2014-21, p. 5. http://dirp3.pids.gov.ph/webportal/CDN/PUBLICATIONS/pidsdps1421.pdf (accessed 2 June 2014).Google Scholar
36. Pablo, L.G. (2009) Trade agreements and their relation to labour standards: The current situation. Issue Paper No. 3, International Centre for Trade and Sustainable Development (Geneva, Switzerland), p. 13.Google Scholar
37. Doan, X.L. (2012) Opportunities and Challenges in EU-ASEAN Trade Relations. http://www.eu-asiacentre.eu/pub_details.php?pub_id=60 (accessed 2 June 2014).Google Scholar
38. ASEAN-EU Vision Group (2006) Report on Trans-regional Partnership for Shared and Sustainable Prosperity (Hanoi, Vietnam), p. 9 Retrieved from: http://trade.ec.europa.eu/doclib/docs/2006/may/tradoc_128860.pdf (accessed 2 July 2013).Google Scholar
39. ECORYS et al. (2009) Trade Sustainability Impact Assessment for the FTA between the EU and ASEAN, Phase 2 − Interim Report. Rotterdam: ECORYS, Ref: TRADE07/C1/C01 – Lot 2. http://trade.ec.europa.eu/doclib/docs/2009/may/tradoc_143167.pdf (accessed 2 July 2013).Google Scholar
40. Sally, R. (2007) Looking east: The European Union’s new FTA negotiations in Asia. Jantumlir Policy Essay No 3 (European Centre for International Political Economy), p. 8.Google Scholar
41. Hoang, T.M.H., Phung, T.Y., Tran, T.L.H., Nguyen, T.L. and Nguyen, H.M.L. (2014) Labour Provisions in Preferential Trade Agreements: Potential Opportunities or Challenges to Vietnam? SECO/WTI Academic Cooperation Project Working Paper Series 2014/02. Retrieved from http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2613497 (accessed 2 July 2015).Google Scholar
42. European Commission (2004) A New Partnership with South East Asia (COM (2003) 399/4), p. 9.Google Scholar
43. Woolcock, S. (2007) European Union policy towards free trade agreements. Working paper. Vol. 32 (European Centre for International political economy – ECIPE).Google Scholar
44. García, M. and Masselot, A. (2015) The value of gender equality in the EU-Asian trade policy: An assessment of the EU’s ability to implement its own legal obligations. In: A. Björkdahl, N. Chaban, J. Leslie and A. Masselot (Eds.), Importing EU Norms? Conceptual Framework and Empirical Findings (Berlin, Heidelberg: Springer), p. 197.Google Scholar
45. Yean, T.S. (2012) Negotiating for a Malaysia-EU FTA Contesting interests from Malaysia’s Perspective . Asie Visions 57 (Center for Asian Studies), p. 11.Google Scholar
46. Ching, O.T. (2010) Palm oil trade a priority in FTA talks with EU. New Strait Times, 28 May. Retrieved from http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P1-180461875.html.Google Scholar
47. Cited from Ching, O.T. (2012) Greener environment or protectionism? New Strait Times, 30 April. http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P1-204856583.html (accessed 2 June 2014).Google Scholar
48. Bernama (National News Agency of Malaysia) (2013) FTA talks with EU postponed to give way to TPPA negotiations. 31 October. http://www.bilaterals.org/?fta-talks-with-eu-postponed-to&lang=en (accessed 2 June 2014).Google Scholar
49. Vietnam Paint & Printing Ink Association (2013) Vietnam - EU FTA: Opportunities and Challenges. Retrieved from http://www.vpia.org.vn/?id_pnewsv=789&lg=eg&start=0.Google Scholar
50. VietNamNet Bridge (2012) Vietnamese Exports to EU Banging against Thick Barriers to Entry. http://english.vietnamnet.vn/fms/business/20255/vietnamese-exports-to-eu-banging-against-thick-barriers-to-entry.html (accessed 2 November 2014).Google Scholar
51. Chandra, A.C. et al. (2010) Hopes and Fears: Indonesia’s prospects in an ASEAN-EU Free Trade Agreement (Canada: International Institute for Sustainable Development), p. 74.Google Scholar
52. Garibay, M.G. (2009) The trade-labour linkage from the eyes of the developing countries: A euphemism for protectionist practices. European Foreign Affairs Review, 14(5), p. 772.Google Scholar
53. Cited from , Phillips, L. (2009) Burmese human rights block to EU-Southeast Asia trade pact. EUobserver, 2 June. https://euobserver.com/economic/28223 (accessed 2 June 2015).Google Scholar
54. Bhagwati, J. (1995) Trade liberalisation and ‘fair trade’ demands: Addressing the environmental and labour standards issues. The World Economy, 18(6), pp. 745–759.Google Scholar
55. Wang, P.C. (2012) Normative Power Europe and Asia- Europe Relations. Occasional Paper No. 10 (Southeast Asian Studies at the University of Freiburg), p. 17.Google Scholar
56. Jetschke, A. and Murray, P. (2012) Diffusing regional integration: The EU and Southeast Asia. West European Politics, 35(1), pp. 174–191.Google Scholar
57. The Borneopost online (2011) Fifth round of FTA negotiations between Malaysia-EU in mid October. 1 October. http://www.theborneopost.com/2011/10/01/fifth-round-of-fta-negotiations-between-malaysia-eu-in-mid-october/#ixzz3ajdf8xX4 (accessed 2 June 2014).Google Scholar
58. Thanhnien News (2014) Govt official says Vietnam needs to compromise for trade deals. http://www.thanhniennews.com/business/govt-official-says-vietnam-needs-to-compromise-for-trade-deals-25098.html (accessed 2 November 2014).Google Scholar
59. Hoang, T. (2014) Việt Nam đang tiến gần đến FTA với EU Thời báo kinh tế Sài Gòn. http://www.thesaigontimes.vn/112874/Viet-Nam-dang-tien-gan-den-FTA-voi-EU-TPhtml (accessed 2 November 2014).Google Scholar
60. Directorate General for Development and Cooperation (2013) Evaluation of the EU’s trade-related assistance to in third countries. Vol 1. http://ec.europa.eu/europeaid/how/evaluation/evaluation_reports/reports/2013/1318_vol1_en.pdf (accessed 2 June 2013).Google Scholar
61. MUTRAP III (EU – Vietnam Multilateral Trade Project III) (2012) Final technical and financial report of Multilateral Trade Assistance Project phase III (2008-2012) (unpublished document).Google Scholar