ENTWINED takes both a positive and a normative point of view and aims first to identify when trade and environment act in concert or at cross purposes and second to suggest alternatives to allow for simultaneous achievement of trade and environmental objectives.  

ENTWINED´s objective is “to provide scientific knowledge, and to provide tools to support Swedish and other European negotiators and stakeholders in integrating environmental aspects into the international trade regime". At a more practical level, the objective is to on the one hand study issues at the intersection of international economics, environmental economics and trade law, and on the other hand to engage with stakeholders who have a role to initiate change on these issues.

Mistra has awarded funding for ENTWINED for a seven year period through to the end of 2013 and has been recognised for excellent and partly-outstanding work by an independant evaluation panel.