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Reform of the CAP will continue, to promote greater competitiveness of European agriculture, efficient use of resources and policy returns in line with European citizens' expectations, with regard to food security, the environment, climate change as well as social and territorial balance. The objective will continue to be building more sustainable, smarter and more inclusive growth for rural Europe.

For the European Union, mainstreaming sustainability with its economic, social and environmental dimension in all relevant policies is a basic requirement set out in the Treaty on the European Union, both as regards internal policies and external action. The European Union Sustainable Development Strategy has guided the European Union activities in that regard since 2006. The European Union is concerned with ensuring that its trade policy and agreements supports sustainable development within the European Union, in our partner countries, and at global level.

At bilateral level, all trade agreements recently concluded by the European Union, both with developed and developing countries, include provisions on sustainable development. Such provisions address adherence to and effective implementation of core international instruments (ILO fundamental Conventions, Multilateral Environmental Agreements), upholding levels of labour and environmental protection, the effective enforcement of domestic environmental and labour laws, the prudent use of natural resources , the promotion of practices favouring sustainable development (e.g. Corporate Social Responsibility and the use of sustainability schemes) and provide for the involvement of civil society, in monitoring implementation of the agreement.

Over the last years, climate change has emerged as a crucial sustainable development challenge facing policy makers, requiring also a careful consideration of the interaction between climate and trade policies with a view to ensuring that they reinforce each other. The European Union has been in the frontline in the fight against climate change both at the domestic level and on the international stage, and pursues complementary trade policies that can directly contribute to climate policy goals, such as the liberalisation of trade in environmental goods and services.

In 2010, the Commission rolled out its growth strategy, "Europe 2020", for the coming decade. In the context of this strategy, five objectives (concerning employment, innovation, education, social inclusion and climate / energy ) were set to be reached by 2020. Each member State has adopted its own national targets in each of these areas.

On 25 October 2012, the European Union adopted Directive No 2012/27/EU 16 on energy efficiency. This Directive establishes a common framework of measures for the promotion of energy efficiency within the European Union in order to ensure the achievement of the Union's 2020 20% headline target on energy efficiency and to pave the way for further energy efficiency improvements beyond that date. It lays down rules designed to remove barriers in the energy market and overcome market failures that impede efficiency in the supply and use of energy, and provides for the establishment of indicative national energy efficiency targets for 2020.

On 10 October 2012, the European Commission adopted the Communication on 'A Stronger European Industry for Growth and Economic Recovery'. This Communication proposes a partnership between the European Union, its Member States and industry to step up investment into new technologies and give Europe a competitive lead in the new industrial revolution. The Communication stresses the need for more investments in innovation (focusing on six priority areas with great potential: advances manufacturing technologies for clean production; key enabling technologies; bio -based products;sustainable industrial and construction policy and raw materials; clean vehicles and vessels; smart grids) 

The European Union -Korea FTA is the first FTA concluded by the European Union to include a comprehensive chapter on trade and sustainable development, which puts a particular emphasis on the commitments of both sides to adhere to internationally recognised standards in the area of labour and environment. The agreement also provides the first example of implementation of such provisions in practice and for the involvement of civil society. Finally, there will be better access to government procurement markets.

The FTA with Korea also includes provisions with regard to sustainable development (e.g. labour, environment ).

The DCFTA with Ukraine foresees dismantlement of both import and export duties (with limited temporary exceptions for sensitive sectors), but also services and investment market access for internal EU market treatment, subject to conditions; the Agreement also contains trade-related provisions on energy, a dispute settlement mechanism and commitments on trade and sustainable development.