In June 2022, the European Commission reflected on its approach to sustainability chapters in free trade agreements in a communication. It states that procedural improvements are needed in some areas and, with the sanctionability of violations of sustainability chapters, also takes up a long-standing demand of AK. At the same time, however, the Commission does not want to make any fundamental changes to its trade policy. In view of the necessity of the socio-ecological restructuring of the economy to combat the climate crisis, these should have top priority.