Directorate-General for Trade

Trade barriers

The Trade Barriers Regulation (TBR) gives European businesses a tool for tackling discriminatory treatment in export markets

Since 1995 the Trade Barriers Regulation (TBR) has given European businesses a tool for tackling trade barriers in export markets. Businesses can use the TBR to ask the European Commission to investigate restrictions on their sales abroad, discriminatory treatment in foreign markets, difficulty obtaining patents or licenses or any other form of unfair barrier to their export of goods or services.

In the last decade dozens of companies or industries have used the TBR to tackle problems in export markets, as well as unfair foreign trade practices that cause injury within the EU internal market. TBR cases have helped improve export conditions for carmakers in Colombia, pharmaceutical products in Turkey, textiles in Brazil and in many other cases.

If you think your business is being negatively affected by such a barrier, you can find out more about filing a complaint on this website.

Supporting information

• TBR brochure 'Opening Markets for EU exporters' (Other languages available)