Sustainability impact assessment of trade policy and its application in the context of Latin America

This paper gives a panoramic view of the state of the art of sustainability impact assessment (SIA) of trade policy in Latin American countries. Whereas in developed countries, such as the USA, Canada and the European Union, SIA is quite consolidated, in Latin America the practice is in its infancy, and it has mainly been driven by non-governmental and international organisations. Its value is indisputable, particularly in terms of the insights into the trade-development relationship, the opportunities for defining relevant monitoring processes, and the participation process it encompasses. The paper argues for the prompt implementation of specific, and regionally relevant, SIA processes in Latin America.