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Agreements
The EU has a major negotiating agenda with specific countries and regions around the world.
There is no one-size-fits-all model of a trade agreement but in most cases, the EU negotiates comprehensive Free Trade Agreements, known as FTAs. The rules for FTAs are set out in the WTO, specifically in Article XXIV of the GATT and Article V of the GATS.
Latest developments
United States - The European Commission agrees the draft mandate for the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership Agreement with the United States.
Trade negotiations in a nutshell
Free Trade Agreements are designed to create opportunities by:
- Opening new markets for goods and services
- Increasing investment opportunities
- Making trade cheaper - by eliminating substantially all customs duties
- Making trade faster - by facilitating goods' transit through customs and setting common rules on technical and sanitary standards
- Making the policy environment more predictable - by taking joint commitments on areas that affect trade such as intellectual property rights, competition rules and the framework for public purchasing decisions
EU trade negotiations
The EU has successfully concluded a number of important trade agreements with trading partners and is in the process of negotiating agreements with many more.
Agreements in force
The EU is a party to trade agreements and other agreements with a trade component both in the WTO context and bilaterally with certain countries and regions.
- A list of WTO agreements can be found on the WTO web site
- Here are other bilateral or regional agreements in force:
Europe
- Faroe Islands - 01 January 1997
- Norway - 01 July 1973
- Iceland - 01 April 1973
- Switzerland - 01 January 1973
- The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia - Stabilisation and Association Agreement, 01 May 2004
- Croatia - Stabilisation and Association Agreement, 01 February 2005
- Albania - Stabilisation and Association Agreement, 01 April 2009
- Montenegro - Stabilisation and Association Agreement, 01 May 2010
- Bosnia and Herzegovina - Interim Agreement on trade and trade related matters, 01 July 2008
- Serbia - Interim Agreement on trade and trade related matters, 01 February 2010
Mediterranean
- Algeria - Association Agreement, 01 September 2005
- Egypt - Association Agreement, 01 June 2004
- Israel - Association Agreement, 01 June 2000
- Jordan - Association Agreement, 01 May 2002
- Lebanon - Interim Agreement, 01 March 2003
- Morocco - Association Agreement, 01 March 2000
- Palestinian Authority - Association Agreement, 01 July 1997
- Syria - Co-operation Agreement, 01 July 1977
- Tunisia - Association Agreement, 01 March 1998
Other countries
- Mexico - Economic Partnership, Political Coordination and Cooperation Agreement, 01 July 2000
- South Africa - Trade, Development and Co-operation Agreement, 01 January 2000
- CARIFORUM States - Economic Partnership Agreement, Provisionally applied
- Chile - Association Agreement and Additional Protocol, 01 February 2003 (trade) / 01 March 2005 (full agreement)
- Madagascar, Mauritius, the Seychelles, and Zimbabwe Interim Partnership Agreement signed in August 2009
- Korea - New Generation Free Trade Agreement, signed 06 October 2010
- Papua New Guinea and Fiji - Interim Partnership Agreement ratified by Papua New Guinea in May 2011
- EU-Iraq - Partnership and Cooperation Agreement, signed on 11 May 2012
Customs unions
- Andorra - 01 July 1991
- Turkey - 31 December 1995
- San Marino - 01 December 1992