Free trade agreements of the European Union

The European Union has concluded free trade agreements (FTAs). The European Union negotiates free trade deals on behalf of all of its member states, as the member states have granted the EU an "exclusive competence" to conclude trade agreements. Even so, member states' governments control every step of the process (via the Council of the European Union, whose members are national ministers from each national government): Before negotiations start, member states' governments (via the Council of Ministers) approve the negotiating mandate; During negotiations, member states' governments are regularly briefed on the progress of negotiations and can update the negotiations mandate or suspend negotiations; Upon conclusion of negotiations, member states' governments decide whether the agreement should be signed; After approval from the European Parliament and (in case the agreement covers areas other than trade such as investment protection) upon ratification in each member state parliament, member states' governments decide whether the agreement should be concluded and enter into effect. The list below only includes countries that have an FTA with the European Union according to the WTO.

Free trade agreements in force

State No of jurisdictions represented Signed Provisionalapplication In force since Notes Relations120062006 2009 SAA Negotiating for EU accession12002 2005 Euro-mediterranean AA Algeria–EU relationsAndean Community 3 2012https://euobserver.com/9/32177 EU signs FTA 2013, 2017 2024 FTAhttps://en.mercopress.com/2013/08/03/eu-fta-agreements-with-colombia-and-central-america-became-effective-august-first EU FTA agreements with Colombia and Central America became effective August first11990 1991 Customs union Andorra–EU relations120082008 2015 SAA Candidate for EU accessionCentral America6201220132024AACentral America–European Union Association Agreement12002, 20232003, 2024 2005 2025 AA, Interim & Updated EU-Chile AA12001 2004 Euro-mediterranean AA Egypt–EU relations119961997Autonomous entity of DenmarkFaroe Islands-EU relations1 2014 2014 2016 AA incl DCFTA Georgia–EU relations and Candidate for EU accession11992 1994 EEA Iceland–EU relations119951996 2000 Euro-Mediterranean AA Israel–EU relations120182019Economic Partnership Agreement Japan-EU relations11997 2002 Euro-Mediterranean AA Jordan–EU relations120232024Economic Partnership Agreement120152016 SAA Potential candidate for EU accession12002 2006 Euro-Mediterranean AA Lebanon–EU relations11992 1995 EEA Liechtenstein–EU relations11997 2000 FTA Mexico–EU relations1 2014 2014 2016 Moldova–European Union Association Agreement incl European Union–Moldova Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area Moldova–EU relations and Negotiating for EU accession120072008 2010 SAA Negotiating for EU accession11996 2000 Euro-Mediterranean AA Morocco–EU relations120232024 FTANew Zealand–EU relations120012001 2004 SAA Negotiating for EU accession11992 1994 EEA Norway–EU relations's Overseas Countries and Territories132001 2001 Association of the OCTs with the EU11997 1997 Euro-Mediterranean AA Palestine–EU relations119911992 2002 Customs union San Marino–EU relations120082010 2013 SAA Negotiating for EU accession120182019FTA Singapore–EU relations119992000 2004 ATDC South Africa–EU relations1201020112015FTASouth Korea–EU relations11972 1973 Trade agreement Switzerland–EU relations11977 1977 Cooperation agreement Syria–EU relations11995 1998 Euro-Mediterranean AA Tunisia–EU relations11995 1995 Customs union Turkey–EU relations 1 2014 2016 2017 Ukraine–European Union Association Agreement incl DCFTA Ukraine–EU relations and Negotiating for EU accession1202020212021Trade and Cooperation AgreementUnited Kingdom–EU relations 1 2019 2020 EVFTA Vietnam–EU relations

Free trade agreements provisionally applied

State Signed ProvisionalApplication Ratification Notes Relations 20092014Interim agreement with a view to an EPA20162017Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement Canada-EU relationsCARIFORUM States 2008 2008 EPA - Croatia acceded to the agreement on 28 November 2017 2009 2016Stepping Stone EPAEastern and Southern Africa States 2009 2012, 2019 Interim Agreement for establishing a framework for an EPA 20162016Stepping Stone EPAMercosur20262026European Union–Mercosur free trade agreementEuropean Union–Mercosur relationsPacific States20092009, 2014, 2018, 2020 Interim Partnership AgreementSouth African Development Community (SADC) members20162016 Economic Partnership Agreement

Negotiated free trade agreements Ongoing negotiations as of January 2026: India–EU Free Trade Agreement Indonesia–EU Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement EU-Australia Free Trade Agreement EU-United Arab Emirates Free Trade Agreement EU-Philippines Free Trade Agreement EU-Malaysia Free Trade Agreement EU-Thailand Free Trade Agreement

Competence The European Court of Justice has held that investor-state arbitration provisions (including a dedicated tribunal planned by some free trade agreements) falls under competency shared between European Union and its member states and that for this reason, the ratification of such mixed agreements should be approved by the EU as well as by each of the union's member states. This court decision has resulted in a new architecture of external trade negotiations which will have two components:

a free trade agreement - related exclusively to trade matters - which can be adopted at the EU level; an investment agreement - containing investment, arbitration and other non-trade provisions - which needs to be ratified by the member states as well.

Impact to consumers One study found that the trade agreements that the EU implemented over the period 1993-2013 have, on average, increased the quality of imported goods by 7% and therefore "lowered quality-adjusted prices by close to 7%," without having much of an impact on the non-adjusted price.

Free trade agreements of the European Union

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