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Sustainability Impact Assessments

SIAs provide the Commission with an in-depth analysis of the potential economic, social, human rights, and environmental impacts of ongoing trade negotiations.

Trade topics
  • Policy analysis

The Sustainability Impact Assessment (SIA) is a DG Trade-specific tool for supporting major trade negotiations. Building on the Impact Assessment, the SIA consists of chapters examining specific subjects in greater depth. SIA chapters cover topics where the agreement is most likely to have an impact on sustainability issues, or where the agreement opens opportunities for achieving non-trade policy objectives.

These assessments are an opportunity for stakeholders in both the EU and in the partner countries to share their views with negotiators.

SIAs have several purposes, including:

  • feeding information into and helping steer the negotiations;
  • assessing the changes that are likely to be caused by a trade agreement;
  • helping to identify possible trade-offs, and;
  • ensuring that the related policy choices are optimised.

SIAs contribute to sound, evidence-based and transparent trade negotiations.

From this page you can access all the SIA reports ever published and the respective Commission position paper in response to the SIA. You can also learn more about the methodological framework for SIAs.

How are the assessments carried out?

SIAs are independent assessments produced by external consultants and take place during trade negotiations.

Building on the Impact Assessments (IA), the SIA consists of additional in-depth studies prepared in parallel with consultation activities. The SIA goes deeper into specific topics than what is possible to achieve in the IA. It examines in detail the impacts of the agreement on specific themes or sectors, and provides negotiators with actionable recommendations based on a thorough review of the evidence.

Reports are released in draft form for feedback from stakeholders before being finalised. The Commission then prepares a position paper to give its views on the final report and explain how the SIA conclusions have or will influence negotiations.

Sustainability Impact Assessment handbook

The European Commission published a second edition of the handbook for sustainability impact assessment in 2016. It sets out the main characteristics, objectives and principles of the new generation of SIAs.

The handbook should be used alongside the Guidelines on the analysis of human rights impact in impact assessments of trade-related policy initiatives and the Better Regulation Guidelines.

If you have a general enquiry about SIAs, please contact us.

Ongoing assessments

There are currently no documents available for this section. 

Completed assessments

EU-India FTA and IPA

SIA in Support of Free Trade Agreement and Investment Protection Agreement negotiations between the European Union and the Republic of India

More information about the EU-India SIA and how to contribute to it

Position paper
Reports

Terms of Reference - August 2022

EU-Eastern and Southern Africa - Deepening of the EPA

SIA in Support of Negotiations with Partner Countries in Eastern and Southern Africa in view of Deepening the Existing Interim Economic Partnership Agreement

More information about the EU-Eastern and Southern Africa SIA and how to contribute to it

Position paper
Reports

Terms of Reference - December 2019

EU-SADC EPA - Angola's accession

SIA in support of negotiations with Angola in view of Angola’s accession to the Economic Partnership Agreement between the European Union and South African Development Community.

Position paper
Reports

Terms of Reference - January 2021

EU-Philippines and EU-Malaysia free trade agreement negotiations

SIAs in support of free trade agreements (FTA) negotiations between the European Union and the Republic of the Philippines and between the European Union and Malaysia

These SIA final reports are published in line with DG TRADE’s commitment to transparency in its policy evaluation practices. However, since negotiations on a FTA between the EU and Malaysia as well as the Philippines have been on hold for several years, at this stage it would be premature for the Commission services to issue position papers outlining how the findings and recommendations presented by the consultants would be taken into account in the negotiations.

Reports

Terms of Reference - August 2017

2021/07: EU-Australia, EU-New Zealand free trade agreement negotiations

SIA in support of free trade agreement (FTA) negotiations between the European Union and Australia, and between the European Union and New Zealand.

More information about the SIAs and how to contribute to them: Australia  – New Zealand.

Position Papers
Reports

Terms of Reference - August 2018

2021/03: EU-Mercosur Association Agreement Negotiations

SIA in support of association agreement (AA) negotiations between the European Union and Mercosur

More information about the Mercosur SIA and how to contribute to it

Position paper
Reports

Terms of Reference - March 2017

2020/06: EU-Chile trade pillar modernisation negotiations

SIA in support of negotiations for the modernization of the trade part of the Association Agreement with Chile

More information about the Chile SIA and how to contribute to it

Position Paper
Reports

Terms of Reference - December 2017

2020/06: EU-Indonesia free trade agreement negotiations

SIA in support of free trade agreement (FTA) negotiations between the European Union and the Republic of Indonesia

Position paper
Reports

Terms of Reference - August 2017

2020/01: EU-Mexico trade pillar modernisation negotiations

SIA in support of negotiations for modernising the trade pillar of the Global Agreement with Mexico

Position paper
Reports

Terms of Reference - May 2017

2018/05: EU-China investment agreement

SIA in support of negotiations of an investment agreement between the European Union and the People's Republic of China

More information about the China SIA and how to contribute to it

Position Paper
Reports

Terms of Reference - October 2015

2017/07: Trade in Services Agreement (TiSA)

SIA in support of negotiations of a plurilateral Trade in Services Agreement

More information about the TiSA SIA and how to contribute to it

Position Paper
Reports

Terms of Reference - May 2013

2017/03: EU-USA (TTIP)

SIA in support of negotiations of a comprehensive trade and investment agreement between the European Union and the United States of America

More information about the TTIP SIA

Position Paper
Reports

Terms of Reference - July 2013

2016/06: EU-Myanmar investment protection agreement

SIA in support of negotiations of an investment protection agreement between the European Union and the Republic of the Union of Myanmar

More information about the Myanmar SIA

Position Paper
Reports

Terms of Reference - June 2015

2016/04: EU-Japan

SIA in support of negotiations of a comprehensive trade and investment agreement between the European Union and Japan

More information about the Japan SIA

Position Paper
Reports

Terms of Reference - February 2014

2016/03: Green Goods Initiative

SIA in support of negotiations of an Environmental Goods Agreement (Green Goods Initiative)

Position Paper
Reports

Terms of Reference - September 2014

2014/11: EU-Egypt and EU-Jordan DCFTA

SIA in support of negotiations of a deep and comprehensive free trade area between the European Union and respectively Egypt and Jordan

Position Papers
Reports

Terms of Reference - July 2012

2013/11: EU-Morocco and EU-Tunisia DCFTA

SIA in support of negotiations of a deep and comprehensive free trade area between the European Union and respectively Morocco and Tunisia

Position Papers
Reports

Terms of Reference - July 2012

2013/09: EU-Armenia DCFTA

SIA in support of negotiations of a deep and comprehensive free trade area between the European Union and the Republic of Armenia

Position Paper
Reports

Terms of Reference - June 2012

2012/12: EU-Georgia and EU-Moldova DCFTA

SIA in support of negotiations of a deep and comprehensive free trade area between the European Union and respectively Georgia and the Republic of Moldova

Position Paper
Reports

Terms of Reference - July 2011

2011/06: EU-Canada Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA)

SIA in support of negotiations of comprehensive economic & trade agreement between the European Union and Canada

Position Paper
Reports

Terms of reference - May 2010

2009/10: EU-Andean Community Association Agreement

Position Paper
Reports

Terms of Reference - August 2008

2009/10: EU-Libya Free Trade Agreement (FTA)

Reports

Terms of Reference - August 2008

2009/09: EU-Central America Association Agreement

Position Paper
Reports
Phase II
Phase I

Terms of Reference - August 2008

2009/06: EU-ASEAN Countries Free Trade Agreement (FTA)

Position Paper
Reports
Phase III
Phase II
Phase I

Terms of Reference - October 2007

2009/05: EU-India Free Trade Agreement (FTA)

Position Paper
Reports
Phase III
Phase II
Phase I

Terms of Reference - October 2007

2009/03: EU-Mercosur Association Agreement Negotiations

Position Paper
Reports
Phase II
Phase I

Terms of Reference - October 2003

2008/08: EU-China Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (PCA)

Position Paper
Reports
Phase III
Phase II
Phase I

Terms of Reference - July 2006

2008/06: EU-Korea Free Trade Agreement (FTA)

Position Paper
Reports
Phase III
Phase II
Phase I

Terms of Reference - September 2007

2007/12: EU-Ukraine Free Trade Agreement (FTA)

Position Paper
Reports
Phase III
Phase II
Phase I

Terms of Reference - September 2006

2007/11: Euro-Mediterranean Free Trade Area (EMFTA)

The lead Directorate-General of the Commission for this Trade SIA is AIDCO.

Position Paper
Reports
Phase III
Phase II
Phase I

Terms of Reference - April 2003

Meetings with Civil Society

2007/05: EU-ACP Economic Partnership Agreements (EPA)

Position Paper
Reports
Phase IV
Phase III
Phase II
Phase I
Regional consultation meetings

Meetings with Civil Society

2006/06: WTO Negotiations, Overview assessment of the DDA (Phase III)

Development of a methodology for use in Phase Three Trade SIA studies of ongoing and projected WTO negotiations

Reports

Terms of Reference - March 2002

2004/05: EU-Arab States of the Gulf (GCC) Trade Negotiations

Position Paper
Reports

Terms of Reference - May 2002

Meetings with Civil Society

2002/12: EU-Chile Association Agreement Negotiations

Reports

Terms of Reference - December 2001

Meetings with Civil Society

2002/05: WTO Negotiations in the major food crops sector

Trade SIA on the sectoral assessment of the liberalisation of the food crops sector in WTO negotiations

Reports

Terms of Reference - March 2002

1999/11: WTO New Round (Seattle) – Phase II

Trade SIA on the sectoral assessment of the liberalisation of the food crops sector in WTO negotiations

Reports

Terms of Reference - April 1999

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