EU Trade Policy and Investment Protection Agreements

As an integration area, the economies of the European Union members and some neighboring countries are also linked in a special way via the European Internal Market and the associated four freedoms of goods, services, labour and capital. Furthermore, there is the EU Customs Union and the EU can conclude agreements with external partners in various areas, such as trade or investment protection, on behalf of its members. Through the free movement of goods, persons (including workers), services and capital within the Internal Market, the EU can enter into negotiations as a single economic actor and thus, as the largest economic integration area in the world, represent its approximately 450 million inhabitants from a stronger position than the member states acting alone could achieve for their citizens.

European Commission: EU Customs Union – unique in the world

https://ec.europa.eu/taxation_customs/customs-4/eu-customs-union-facts-and-figures/eu-customs-union-unique-world_en

European Commission: Making trade policy

https://policy.trade.ec.europa.eu/eu-trade-relationships-country-and-region/making-trade-policy_en

European Commission: Investment

https://policy.trade.ec.europa.eu/help-exporters-and-importers/accessing-markets/investment_en

European Commission: New Investment Protection Agreements

https://trade.ec.europa.eu/doclib/docs/2020/july/tradoc_158908.pdf

European Commission: EU-US Trade and Technology Council

https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_21_5308

European Union: Trade – Towards open and fair world-wide trade

https://european-union.europa.eu/priorities-and-actions/actions-topic/trade_en