PERSPECTIVE GLOBAL AND REGIONAL ORDER CIRCULAR ECONOMY AND TRADE AGREEMENTS Towards developing a framework for linkages Rashid S Kaukab and Darina Merkulova May 2023 Trade agreements are not only about»free« trade. Rather they are contracts among states that can cover a wide range of issues and policies – both at the border and within the country – that have a ­bearing on their trading ­relationship. The circular economy is not easy to encapsulate in one conclusive definition. Rather, it encompasses a multitude of approaches and frameworks towards promoting sustain­able economic development. A large and growing number of countries have adopted ­circular-economy concepts and practices. This paper identifies concrete linkages between trade agree­ments and circular economy policies in order to create more coherence between the two.