Standardizing the World

Abstract Standardizing the World offers a comprehensive assessment of the European Union (EU)’s efforts to standardize a wide array of economic, political, and social aspects of life through its trade agreements across the globe. A group of leading experts offers analyses of the most important issue areas: social and labor rights, the environment, investments, intellectual property, rule of law and anti-corruption, agriculture and food quality, services, public procurement, sustainable development, digital commerce, and more. Trading initiatives with major partners are considered: MERCOSUR, South Korea, Japan, the United States, Canada, India, and Eastern European countries. Those with smaller trading partners are also considered, including Vietnam and Central American countries. The volume reports four key findings. First, EU agreements contain significant standardizing content that often includes but extends beyond preexisting international standards as set by the World Trade Organization and other entities. Second, the standardizing principles are specific and granular, yet overall tend toward a measured and socially minded approach to trade and capitalism. Third, while the EU is quite successful at advancing its worldviews, in several cases—both across policy areas and when it comes to specific partners—the results speak to compromises or even failures to reach agreement. Fourth, even in cases where the EU shows considerable success, the resulting outcomes do not always amount to a consistent pattern. Taken together, the findings paint a picture of a dynamic EU capable of projecting its worldviews across the globe that is nonetheless not always consistent or successful.