What Makes for Good Regulatory Practice Provisions in Trade Agreements?

Adam speaks with Stuart Trew, Director of Trade and Investment at the Canadian Center for Policy Alternatives about the inclusion of Good Regulatory Practice Provisions in recent Trade Agreements, including the UK's EU agreement post Brexit, and if they can actually help reduce harm and improve regulatory cooperation.

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As the full implications of Brexit begin to roll out in the UK, I was intrigued to see a press release promoting the EU agreement that included a section titled. ‘Good Regulatory Practice and Regulatory Cooperation’.

Good regulatory practice is often talked about as the job of the regulator. It's the practice of applying the black-and-white law in context to get a desired regulatory outcome. That might be about changing behaviors, or reducing harms, or protecting markets, or keeping public order.

I wondered if it was novel for trade agreements to include ‘good regulatory practice principles’, and if they actually work.

Stuart Trew is the Director of Trade and Investment at the Canadian Center for Policy Alternatives, an independent research institute focused on social and economic issues and environmental justice. Stuart has edited a number of books and papers discussing trade and in 2019 authored a paper on the role of good regulatory practices in trade agreements.

So join me as I chat with Stuart on what makes for good regulatory practices in trade agreements. Can they actually help reduce harm and protect communities?