The inclusion of corporate social responsibility in free trade agreements: evolution and effectiveness

Given the inevitable role of multinational enterprises in international trade in general and in solving complex non- traditional trade issues (such as the environment, labor, human rights, sustainable development), a number of new generation free trade agreements seek to cover corporate social responsibility (CSR). Several possibilities have been envisaged, either by a reference to CSR or to internationally recognized instruments in this subject matter in the preamble, or by the incorporation of a clause governing the CSR explicitly. Such an approach therefore raises the question of whether it is effective about the regulation of multinational enterprises in the context of regional economic integration. Some mechanisms provided for therein can contribute to this efficiency.