D4.2.Short individual case study reports and a synthesis report ‘Effects of context heterogeneity on the relationship between trade and sustainability: Lessons from the case studies'

D4.2. draws together diverse country and global food chain evidence, and multi-disciplinary information about the context in which trade relations between the EU and some main trading partners in Asia and Africa develop, and the degree of achievement of SDGs. The work on this task will develop in coordination with WP2, which will be facilitated by CREA leading both. The proposed selection of case studies has been illustrated in the concept and in the methodology. The final selection of the case studies will be made together with the European Commission at the inception phase.The case studies will provide unique structured evidence on several aspects of the linkages between trade and sustainability, e.g. sustainable use of natural resources (i.e. deforestation); diet and nutrition; issues of social sustainability as poverty, income inequality and the ways trade policies and/or sustainability standards affect vulnerable groups (e.g. female farmers, indigenous population). An important aspect of the in-depth qualitative analysis will be to investigate whether females bear larger part of the burden of unsustainable practices. The case studies will also cover the implementation of the private standards and their effect on trade as an enhancer or a barrier to market integration of small-scale producers. In this way, they will feed evidence to Task 4.3. With regard to phytosanitary standards and food safety, this task will allow the project to assess the level of human capital (the level of knowledge about SPS requirements and regulations, presence of qualified workers), the infrastructure needed to meet SPS conditions, and governance of inspection and relevant legal bodies in the EU partner countries.