Sustainable agricultural trade through inclusive agency and robust governance - Lessons for policymaking

Findings from the MATS project (2021–2024) highlight the critical role of strong, inclusive institutions in shaping sustainable and coherent agri-food trade policies. In a time of global crises and rising competitiveness concerns, governance gaps create uncertainty for value chain actors, limiting market access, investment, and the effectiveness of sustainability standards.
Delayed implementation of key EU regulations, such as the deforestation-free supply chain law and the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism, further underscores the need for policy coherence. MATS recommends a dual approach: aligning EU external trade instruments with internal support measures in partner countries, while integrating trade with environmental and human rights goals (e.g., EUDR, CSDDD).
Sustainable trade requires transparent, stakeholder-inclusive governance and impact-based assessments- especially ex-ante evaluations- to support fairer, more effective global value chains