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A dividing line in the Transatlantic trade relation: A discourse-analysis of the United States Trade Representative´s perception of the European Union´s REACH-regulation 2002-2023

Martinsson, Amanda LU (2023) STVM23 20231
Department of Political Science
Abstract
The EU has for a long time been a credible member in the WTO, wherein trade partners need to comply with the EU´s regulations in order to import goods to the Single market. However, trade issues may arise from technical regulations, which could constitute non-tariff trade barriers. In the WTOs Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade, members raise such issues, in order to facilitate trade. Since the European Union (EU) launched the technical regulation on `Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemicals´ (REACH), it has been subject for a wave of specific trade concerns raised by the U.S. in multilateral forums of the WTO. The EU has been recognized as a trade and economic power. Additionally, multifaceted political –... (More)
The EU has for a long time been a credible member in the WTO, wherein trade partners need to comply with the EU´s regulations in order to import goods to the Single market. However, trade issues may arise from technical regulations, which could constitute non-tariff trade barriers. In the WTOs Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade, members raise such issues, in order to facilitate trade. Since the European Union (EU) launched the technical regulation on `Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemicals´ (REACH), it has been subject for a wave of specific trade concerns raised by the U.S. in multilateral forums of the WTO. The EU has been recognized as a trade and economic power. Additionally, multifaceted political – social – and – environmental crises of the EU have had collateral damage effects on external perceptions of the EU as a global actor. The purpose of this thesis is to promote the understanding of external perceptions on the EU as a global actor and crystallize the USTR´s external discursive construction of the regulation, through a case-study on the United States Office of the Trade Representative´s (USTR) external perception and employed discourse on the EU´s REACH-regulation during the time-period of 2002 to 2023. For this purpose, this thesis deploys content – and – discourse analysis to explore U.S. perceptions and discourse on the REACH. Since previous research has shown that external perceptions are contextual and influenced by specific policy-environment, the analysis investigates the occurrence of a WTO-discourse in regards to the REACH. The results demonstrated that the U.S. perception of the EU was to a large degree influenced by discourses deriving from multilateral WTO-principles. The material consisted of reports published by the USTR and the WTO. (Less)
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author
Martinsson, Amanda LU
supervisor
organization
course
STVM23 20231
year
type
H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
subject
keywords
REACH regulation, external perception, European Union, the United States Office of the Trade Representative, World Trade Organization, discourse analysis
language
English
id
9134133
date added to LUP
2025-08-15 16:41:51
date last changed
2025-08-15 16:41:51
@misc{9134133,
  abstract     = {{The EU has for a long time been a credible member in the WTO, wherein trade partners need to comply with the EU´s regulations in order to import goods to the Single market. However, trade issues may arise from technical regulations, which could constitute non-tariff trade barriers. In the WTOs Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade, members raise such issues, in order to facilitate trade. Since the European Union (EU) launched the technical regulation on `Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemicals´ (REACH), it has been subject for a wave of specific trade concerns raised by the U.S. in multilateral forums of the WTO. The EU has been recognized as a trade and economic power. Additionally, multifaceted political – social – and – environmental crises of the EU have had collateral damage effects on external perceptions of the EU as a global actor. The purpose of this thesis is to promote the understanding of external perceptions on the EU as a global actor and crystallize the USTR´s external discursive construction of the regulation, through a case-study on the United States Office of the Trade Representative´s (USTR) external perception and employed discourse on the EU´s REACH-regulation during the time-period of 2002 to 2023. For this purpose, this thesis deploys content – and – discourse analysis to explore U.S. perceptions and discourse on the REACH. Since previous research has shown that external perceptions are contextual and influenced by specific policy-environment, the analysis investigates the occurrence of a WTO-discourse in regards to the REACH. The results demonstrated that the U.S. perception of the EU was to a large degree influenced by discourses deriving from multilateral WTO-principles. The material consisted of reports published by the USTR and the WTO.}},
  author       = {{Martinsson, Amanda}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{A dividing line in the Transatlantic trade relation: A discourse-analysis of the United States Trade Representative´s perception of the European Union´s REACH-regulation 2002-2023}},
  year         = {{2023}},
}