The Role of the EU in the Promotion of Human Rights and International Labour Standards in Its External Trade Relations

This book represents a significant and timely contribution to the copious literature of the EU as a global actor providing new insights and fresh perspectives into the promotion of human rights and international labour standards in the EU's external trade relations, building on and stimulating further the already well-engaged scientific dialogue on this area of research. In particular, it provides the basis for developing a new analytical structure for better understanding the role of the EU in promoting human rights and international labour standards in global trade and, in particular, for assessing the extent to which and how normative considerations have influenced the adoption of EU legal instruments and policy decisions.

This book will appeal to research scholars, post-graduate students, practitioners and human rights activists.

Provides new strategies to reconcile the internal tensions of the EU regarding principles, values and trade Examines key changes introduced by the 2009 Treaty of Lisbon to the EU external relations legal framework and the Common Commercial Policy Presents a fresh examination of the EU's "new generation" of free trade agreements, including "mega-regional" trade agreements Offers new perspectives on the linkage between trade, labour and human rights Provides new insights into the global reach of EU law and the Union's "extraterritorial" human rights obligations

Inhalt

Chapter 1 - The promotion of human rights and international labour standards after Lisbon: an introduction.- Chapter 2 - The EU as a Global Actor in an Inter-polar World.- Chapter 3 - The legal framework of the Common Commercial Policy after the entry into force of the Treaty of Lisbon.-Chapter 4 - EU Political Conditionality as a Tool for the Promotion and Protection of Non-trade Values in Non-EU Countries.- Chapter 5 - The promotion of social rights and labour standards in EU external trade relations .- Chapter 6 - The nature of the European Union's human rights obligations in its external trade relations after Lisbon.- Chapter 7 - Conclusion the merits of EU conditionality in a world of contrasts.