The environmental impact of free trade agreements: Morocco as a case study

This project analysed the potential negative and positive environmental impact of implementing various free trade agreements in Morocco. WTO commitments and negotiations, a bilateral free trade agreement currently being negotiated with the USA and negotiations concerning the Association Agreement with the EU were all taken into account.

A background paper first described the general relationships between international free trade policy and environmental protection. It then went on to analyse the potential environmental impact of the negotiations taking place as part of the Doha Development Agenda, before assessing the other agreements in terms of their relevance for the environment. This analysis of the individual agreements focused on sectors that are important to Morocco, such as the liberalisation of trade in agricultural products and services in the WTO context. The bilateral agreement with the USA focused on the trade in cereals, whilst the assessment of negotiations with the EU looked at agricultural products and fishing.