Ecologic Legal | Ecologic Institute: Science and Policy for a Sustainable World

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Publication

Consumer Rights in International Trade Agreements

In principle, increased trade resulting from trade agreements can offer consumers access to goods and services that are less expensive or of higher quality. At the same time, there is a risk that rules in trade and investment agreements limit the sovereign right of states to adopt measures for consumer protection at the domestic level. Hence, much depends on how these agreements are designed. A study, compiled by Christiane Gerstetter, Senior Fellow at Ecologic Institute and Christian Pitschas, provides an overview of consumer-related rights in recent international trade agreements. The study is available fro download.Read more

Project

Accompanying Projects: Smart Energy Showcases – Digital Agenda for the Energy Transition (SINTEG)

December 2016 to November 2021

In the research programme "Smart Energy Showcases - Digital Agenda for the Energy Transition" (SINTEG), over 300 research institutions and companies in five model regions are developing new solutions for a completely renewable energy system. Ecologic Institute is part of the accompanying research process of the SINTEG programme, where it leads the work on the legal framework. Ecologic Institute supports the Federal Ministry of Economics (BMWI) and the SINTEG showcases in generating insights on how the regulatory framework has to be adapted so that the solutions developed in the programme can be put into practice. Read more

Publication

Report

Environmental Law

Ecologic Legal

Regulatory Cooperation under CETA

Implications for Environmental Policies

On 30 October 2016 Canada and the EU signed CETA. Ratification of the agreement will be the next step. A new study by the Ecologic Institute analyses the environmental implications of regulatory cooperation under CETA. The study finds that CETA establishes a comprehensive institutional framework for regulatory cooperation between Canada and the EU and sets primarily procedural obligations. CETA does not contain detailed obligations that predetermine specific outcomes of regulatory cooperation. Regulatory cooperation under CETA is voluntary. Regulatory cooperation under CETA has a focus on trade liberalisation and consistency of standards. It does not focus on enhancing environmental protection. The study is available for download.Read more

Publication

EU Effort Sharing after 2020

Review and Ratcheting Up EU Climate Targets

The Paris Agreement requires Parties to scale up their commitments every five years, i.e., with each consecutive "nationally determined contribution" (NDC). The recent proposal of the EU Commission for an Effort Sharing Regulation is essential for the EU to meet this obligation. The proposal, however, does not support adequately continuous scaling up of the EU greenhouse gas reduction targets. A new paper from Ecologic Institute discusses ways in which the Effort Sharing Regulation could support the scaling up of EU climate targets. The paper is available for download.Read more

Project

Consumer Policy

Trade

Ecologic Legal

Consumer Rights in International Trade Agreements and How They Can be Enforced

September 2016 to December 2016

International trade agreements can have an impact on consumers in different ways. On the one hand, they can lead to more or cheaper products to become available for consumers. On the other hand, these agreements contain rules for political and legal meaures that the parties to an agreement may adopt; this can limit the scope for regulation in favour of consumers. How trade agreements are designed is therefore important for consumers. In this project, Ecologic Institute compiles a study for the Federation of German Consumer Organisations, analysing how consumer rights are addressed in international trade agreements and how they can be enforced by consumer organisations.Read more

Publication

Early Ratification of the Paris Agreement by the EU

Legal implications

As the EU considers early ratification of the Paris Agreement, this paper explains the related key legal questions that arise should the EU push to ratify without its internal burden sharing in place and without all Member States ratifying simultaneously. The paper is available for download.Read more

Publication

Compliance with EU 2030 Renewable Energy Targets: How to Fill a Gap

A new study by the Ecologic Institute shows how to ensure achievement of the 2030 EU target for renewable energy. The study is available for download.Read more

Project

Governance

Ecologic Legal

Implementation of EU Action Plan on Environmental Compliance and Governance – Framework Contract

September 2016 to September 2020

The European Union has quite a number of directives and regulations on environmental matters. While all Member States are obliged to apply and/or transpose them, the degree to which these legal rules effectively help protect the environment depends to a large extent on their implementation in practice. In particular, proper environmental enforcement requires sufficient staff, with appropriate expertise and technical equipment, and good cooperation between different authorities. There is evidence that environmental law is not consistently enforced in Members States. Therefore, in 2018, the European Commission published an Action Plan on Environmental Compliance and Governance; it sets out various actions aimed at improving environmental compliance and governance in Member States. Ecologic Institute leads a consortium supporting the Directorate-General for Environment in implementing the Action Plan.Read more

Project

Framework Agreement: Advising the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy on Energy Policies

September 2016 to August 2018

The framework agreement with the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy includes support in economic, technical and legal issues in the areas of energy efficiency, renewable energy sources for heating and cooling systems and waste heat, among others.Read more

Project

Resource Conservation + Circular Economy

Ecologic Legal

International Governance for Environmentally Sound Supply of Raw Materials (InGoRo)

August 2016 to September 2019

Resource extraction has often significant impacts on the environment. Ecologic Institute analyses for the German Federal Environment Agency governance instruments which can foster, establish and enforce global standards for environmentally sound raw material extraction. The project assesses international treaties, international customary law and non-binding international instruments, as well as European and national instruments with extraterritorial effect. Based on this assessment, Ecologic Institute develops recommendations how existing instruments could be improved or new approaches could be developed. The study covers abiotic raw materials (metals and ore, other minerals and fossil raw materials) and their extraction, treatment, transport and processing.Read more