Diffusion of environmental provisions in preferential trade agreements: an empirical analysis

Modern Preferential Trade Agreements (PTAs), rather than focusing solely on trade, have included many other non-trade provisions, such as on labour conditions, democracy, and the environment. From 1990, countries seem to adopt more and more environmental provisions when signing PTAs. Some countries (eg. European countries) include more environmental provisions. Is there diffusion between countries of these environmental provisions? Are some countries “leaders” pushing for environmental provisions to be included? This paper investigates how environmental provisions in Preferential Trade Agreements (PTAs) diffuse from country to country and what determinants make this diffusion more likely.