NGO Networks and Research Consortia

FIELD is involved in several NGO research networks concerned with trade and environment issues. Within these networks, FIELD lawyers lend their expertise to discussions, attend workshop meetings and contribute to policy briefings and other research papers.

SUSTRA - Trade, Societies and Sustainable Development Research Networks

FIELD is one of eleven partners from six European countries in the SUSTRA network. The overall aim of the project is to provide independent assessments of core international trade, environmental and investment issues directly to the cabinet office of the chief European trade negotiator.

SUSTRA aims to develop research and improve expertise in the area of European trade negotiations; to look at the relationship between economic and sustainability objectives in international trade; to analyse the institutions governing trade and civil society participation in the trade decision making process in Europe; and to examine the use of the concept of global public good. It is hoped that the work of the network will promote a renewed dialogue between the research and practitioner communities and will raise the level of European expertise on these issues to be able to introduce new ideas in the global debate on trade.

SUSTRA has five research themes: global public goods, global governance, sustainability impact assessments, trade reforms and EU governance.

The SUSTRA project is hosting a total of five workshops on these themes. FIELD lawyers have participated in all of these and will continue to attend workshops until the end of the project in 2004.

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Read more on the work of SUSTRA and its partners

Concerted Action on Trade and Environment (CAT&E)

FIELD's trade programme is a partner in the CAT&E project, funded by the European Commission, and co-ordinated by the University of Amsterdam. This project commenced in December 2002, and will continue for three years. The expansion in the trade and environment policy and research agendas has created a major new area of research that virtually all member states are involved with. CAT&E aims to ensure dialogue between the different research centres and to provide a dialogue with policy makers.

The project brings together various research and policy experts to foster an in-depth debate on issues such as: conflicts arising from existing trade agreements; issues arising from related environmental policies and institutional issues; the promotion of EU research leadership and improved research networking and capacity building between EU countries. FIELD lawyers attended the first members' meeting of CAT&E in June 2003. This initial meeting was an opportunity for members to introduce current work on trade and environment issues, as well as to discuss future issues for research.

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Read more about the CAT&E project

International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD)

FIELD is part of IISD's expert group on trade and environment, and as such participates in policy workshops and other meetings based around key international trade and environment issues. IISD's 'Knowledge Networks' aim to advance policy recommendations on a number of sustainable development issues, as well as producing high quality research to raise awareness about the sustainable development aspects of trade, and to facilitate the exchange of information amongst a broad range of stakeholders.

International Institute for Sustainable Development

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