Environment and Trade

Protecting human health and the environment is essential to sustainable economic development. Recognizing the importance of this relationship, EPA works to ensure that environmental considerations are taken into account in regional and global economic dialogues.

EPA also works in partnership with other government agencies to build strong U.S. policies to promote both environmental protection and economic growth. Specifically, EPA participates in the formal trade policy development process, chaired by the Office of the United States Trade Representative.

In addition, EPA works through a range of international organizations to address the nexus between economic and environmental issues, including the World Trade Organization, the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, the World Bank and the United Nations.

To establish and implement environment-related trade provisions, EPA is involved in the negotiation of new free trade agreements, and in implementing existing agreements.

The transportation of goods across air, sea and land presents economic opportunities, and also creates significant environmental challenges, including from criteria air pollutants and greenhouse gases. EPA is working with our international partners to reduce the environmental impacts of rapidly increasing international trade.

For example, EPA plays a role in projects that implement environmental provisions under free trade agreements, including::

Learn more about our Trade work:

Negotiating Free Trade Agreements
Trans-Pacific Partnership
Trade and Environment Policy Advisory Committee
North America Free Trade Agreement
Environment and Trade: History and Policies

Negotiating Free Trade Agreements

EPA has participated in the negotiation of environmental provisions in the following ten trade agreements:

Australia
Bahrain
CAFTA-DR (Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Honduras, Guatemala, El Salvador and the Dominican Republic)
Chile
Jordan
Morocco
NAFTA (Canada and Mexico)
Oman
Peru
Singapore

All links above are to the Department of State.

Working with the United States Trade Representative (USTR) and other government agencies, EPA works to develop, negotiate, and implement environment-related provisions in all new free trade agreements. EPA promotes sustainable development and helps to build the capacity of U.S. trading partners to develop, implement, and enforce sound environmental standards.

EPA also collaborates with USTR and the President's Council on Environmental Quality to analyze the environmental impacts of new trade agreements, as required under an executive order of the President.
In addition, EPA works with the U.S. State Department to help countries address potential environmental impacts of increased trade.

Trans-Pacific Partnership

The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) is a regional, Asia-Pacific free trade agreement that the United States is negotiating with 7 other countries: Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Chile, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore and Vietnam.

The TPP will be an expansion of an existing trade agreement between Brunei, Chile, New Zealand and Singapore (known as the P4).
Over time, membership to the TPP may grow to encompass additional countries in the Asia-Pacific region.
Learn more about Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC).

The United States Trade Representative, Ron Kirk, notified Congress in December 2009 that President Obama intended to enter into negotiations of the TPP, with the goal of establishing is a high-standard, 21st century trade agreement. Negotiations began in Melbourne on March 15-19th, and continued with a second dialogue in San Francisco June 14-18th. The next negotiating round will be held in October in Brunei.

During the negotiating rounds, countries met in working groups to discuss key issues areas. EPA was involved in a number of discussions, including those on environment, investment, technical barriers to trade, sanitary and phytosanitary measures and government procurement.

The discussions also covered several “horizontal” issues which cut across the different topic areas covered by working groups. These include: small business priorities, regulatory coherence, and transparency.

Trade and Environment Policy Advisory Committee

Meeting of the Trade and Environment Policy Advisory Committee (TEPAC) on June 22, 2010. Official USTR photo.

The Trade and Environment Policy Advisory Committee (TEPAC) provides policy advice to the EPA and the U.S. Trade Representative on issues involving the environment and trade.

TEPAC members are cleared government advisors from non-profit and private sector organizations.
TEPAC meetings are co-hosted by the U.S. Trade Representative and the EPA Administrator. These meetings are chaired by a TEPAC member, and are normally held twice a year.
At these meetings, members are given an update on current environment and trade related issues and have the opportunity to ask questions and provide feedback to agency representatives.
TEPAC members also provide written input and guidance on relevant issues.

North American Free Trade Agreement

The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) was established between Canada, Mexico and the United States in 1992. EPA partners with a variety of the important organizations set up through the NAFTA process to address environmental issues in the region.

The North American Agreement on Environmental Cooperation (NAAEC) is an environmental side-agreement to NAFTA that complements the NAFTA environmental provisions and which established the Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC) to address regional environmental concerns. Learn more about EPA’s work with the CEC.

NAFTA also enabled the creation of the North American Development Bank (NADB) and its sister institution, the Border Environment Cooperation Commission (BECC). The BECC-NADB Agreement has created an environmental infrastructure program that empowers communities on the U.S.-Mexico border to assess their environmental infrastructure needs while incorporating a mix of federal, state, local, and private-sector funding to execute affordable and self-sustaining environmental infrastructure projects. Learn more about EPA’s work with the BECC-NADB.

Environment and Trade: History and Policies

Environment and Trade and Investment provides historical background on efforts in the post World War II era to promote and manage global economic development.
U.S. Trade and Investment Policy Making Process provides current information about the agencies and steps involved in developing and implementing trade and investment agreements.
U.S. Trade and Investment Agreements contains information on specific trade and investment agreements that are currently in effect or under development.
Environmental Reviews of Trade and Investment Agreements links to the Executive Order requirement for reviews, the process for conducting them, and draft and completed reviews.
International Trade and Environment Organizations links to many of the numerous organizations, both national and international, that work in cooperation with EPA to address aspects of trade and investment and the environment.

Contacts

For additional information on EPA's trade programs, contact: