The European Union as an agent of environmental changes and impact on international trade flows

Abstract

Considering that global environmental problems exceed the scope of borders of one country, they require solutions at the international level. The expansion of environmental awareness is a widespread trend all over the world. The European Union actively participates in the development and implementation of a number of international conventions and agreements in the environmental field. Through the analysis of international legislation in the ecological field and EU Environmental action programs, we point out the necessity of their global implementation. Special attention is paid to the relationship between ecology and international trade flows taking into consideration a current issue whether it is economically feasible for a country to apply stringent or soft environmental regulations. The aim of this paper is to answer this question through an analysis of advantages and disadvantages of both alternatives with an overview of current international ecological legislation and with a focus on the role of the EU in the field of environmental protection.

Keywords

• european union
• ecology
• international trade
• international conventions