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Accessing markets
The European Union wants to make sure that accessing foreign markets is easier for everyone.
The Access2Markets portal helps firms to trade beyond the EU’s borders. Take a guided tour of Access2Markets.
Fight against protectionism
The Market Access Strategy is part of the EU's efforts to create the best possible conditions for European firms to export around the world and to make sure international trade rules are enforced.
WATCH: Italian SME Framesi benefitted from the EU's market access policy.
Trade and investment barriers
EU trade policy strives to remove trade barriers for European companies on foreign markets. Decisive and coordinated action towards third countries helps European companies to sustain their growth and to diversify their export markets.
Read our featured story on how the EU, through its Market Access Partnership, helped to remove barriers to European apples entering the Thai market.
The EU main market access policies
Goods and services in the EU's export markets
The EU's market access strategy, removing of tariff barriers and non-tariff barriers such as technical barriers to trade and sanitary and phytosanitary measures.
Public procurement
Public procurement rules in EU trade deals, revision of global trade rules.
EU intellectual property protection & enforcement in non-EU countries
Intellectual property rights in world trade, patents, access to medicines, enforcement, geographical indications (GIs).
Rules on investment
The EU's investment policy, statistics, info on the new investment court system, EU membership of international investment groups.
Defending the EU market against unfair trade
Includes trade defence against unfair subsidies and dumping.
Taking action during international trade disputes
Bilateral dispute settlement rules, WTO-specific dispute settlement procedures, investment dispute rules.