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Impact Assessments

The European Commission uses impact assessments widely to provide evidence and information when making decisions on trade policy.

Trade topics
  • Policy analysis

This is part of the European Commission's Better Regulation Agenda, which aims to boost transparency in EU policymaking.

Impact assessments identify problems and possible solutions; and describe the likely economic, environmental, social and whenever relevant, human rights impacts of those solutions.

For trade agreements, they aim to answer such questions as:

  • Is a trade negotiation the best way to improve our trade relations with the specific partner?
  • Which issues should be covered in the negotiation?

To answer these questions, an impact assessment must:

  1. verify the existence of a problem;
  2. identify its underlying causes;
  3. assess whether EU action is needed, and;
  4. analyse the advantages and disadvantages of available solutions and their impacts.

An impact assessment also includes an on-line public consultation of interested parties.

When completed, the impact assessment identifies the best course of action to take and accompanies the proposal when it is submitted to the EU member states.

Methodology

How are the assessments carried out?

Impact assessments are prepared by Commission services in accordance with the related Better Regulation Guidelines and Better Regulation Toolbox.

Additional Guidelines on the analysis of human rights impact in impact assessments of trade-related policy initiatives provide a tailor-made guidance for analysing human rights impact of trade agreements.

Better Regulation Agenda

The Better Regulation Agenda is about designing and evaluating EU policies and laws transparently.

Better regulation: why and how

Ongoing assessments

There are currently no impact assessments ongoing. 

Completed assessments

2021/12: Anti-Coercion Instrument

Regulation regarding the protection of the EU and its Member States from economic coercion by third countries. 

2019/05: GSP Regulation Post-2023

GSP Regulation Post-2023: Study in support of an impact assessment to prepare the review of GSP Regulation No 978/2012

2017/09: Investment dispute resolution

Establishment of a Multilateral Investment Court for investment dispute resolution.

2017/09: EU-Australia and New Zealand FTAs

EU-Australia and EU-New Zealand free trade agreements.

2017/05: EU-Chile Association Agreement

Modernisation of the trade part of the EU-Chile Association Agreement.

2016/12: EU-Turkey bilateral trade relations

Enhancement of EU-Turkey bilateral trade relations and the modernisation of the Customs Union.

2016/09: Trade Defence Instruments (TDI) China

Proposal to amend the EU's anti-dumping and anti-subsidy legislation - TDI China.

2016/09: EU dual-use export control regime

Review of the EU dual-use export control regime – Regulation 428/2009.

2015/12: EU-Mexico Global Agreement

Modernisation of the trade pillar of the EU-Mexico Global Agreement.

2014/03: EU-Minerals from conflict-affected and high-risk areas

Proposal for a Regulation setting up a Union system for supply chain due diligence self-certification of responsible importers of tin, tantalum and tungsten, their ores, and gold originating in conflict-affected and high-risk areas.

2014/02: EU-Myanmar investment protection agreement

Recommendation for a Council Decision authorising the Commission to open negotiations on an agreement between the European Union and Myanmar/Burma on investment protection.

2013/05: EU-China investment agreement

Recommendation for a Council Decision authorising the Commission to open negotiations for the conclusion of an investment agreement between the European Union and the Republic of China.

2013/04: Protection against dumped and subsidised imports

Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Council Regulation (EC) No 1225/2009 on protection against dumped imports from countries not members of the European Community and Council Regulation (EC) No 597/2009 on protection against subsidised imports from countries not members of the European Community.

2013/03: EU-USA (TTIP)

Recommendation for a Council Decision authorising the opening of negotiations on a comprehensive trade and investment agreement, called Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership, between the European Union and the United States of America.

2012/07: EU-Japan FTA

Recommendation for a Council Decision authorising the opening of negotiations on a free trade agreement between the European Union and Japan.

2011/05: Generalised Scheme of Preferences (GSP)

Proposal for a Regulation applying a scheme of generalised tariff preferences.

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