The EU has one of the largest networks of trade agreements in the world, comprising 45 preferential trade agreements with 81 partners. Trade agreements contribute to trade diversification and dependency reduction in a challenging geopolitical environment. The report covers results in 2025 and the first half of 2026.
Trade with countries with which the EU has free trade agreements is growing faster
Trade with countries with which the EU has free trade agreements grew faster than trade with other third countries in 2025. Trade in goods with preferential trading partners increased by 3.1%, while trade with other third countries increased by 1.4%.
The difference was even more pronounced for agri-food products. EU agri-food exports to countries with which the EU has trade agreements increased by 4.6% in 2025, while exports to countries without a preferential trade agreement decreased by 3.6%.
The report also highlights Chile as an example of the effects of the trade agreement. The EU-Chile Interim Trade Agreement has been in force since 1 February 2025. In the first eleven months of its application, total bilateral trade reached €20.8 billion, up 3% from the same period a year earlier. EU exports of machinery and equipment increased by 9%, chemical products by 8% and optical and photographic instruments by 17%.
Trade agreements contribute to making the EU more resilient
The report highlights the importance of trade agreements in diversifying trade and reducing dependence on individual markets. Over the period covered by the report, EU exports of goods to countries with which the EU has free trade agreements increased by €250 billion.
Trade agreements also play an important role in providing more diversified sources of raw materials and energy products that are important for the European economy. Around a quarter of the EU’s imports of critical raw materials are provided by countries with which the EU has preferential trade relations.
Between 2024 and 2025, for example, the value of imports of critical raw materials from Canada increased by 62 percent, reaching €3.3 billion. Imports of mineral products from Canada, on the other hand, increased by 14 percent to €6.1 billion. However, following the entry into application of the EU-Chile Interim Trade Agreement, imports of mineral products from Chile increased by 33 percent.
EU expands network of free trade agreements
The EU’s network of trade agreements continues to expand. An important step is the EU-Mercosur agreement, which has been in force since 1 May 2026.
During the period covered by the report, the EU has also made significant progress on other trade agreements. Negotiations on a free trade agreement with India were concluded in January 2026 and negotiations with Australia in March 2026.
Negotiations on a comprehensive economic partnership agreement with Indonesia were concluded in September 2025. Progress has also been made on the modernisation of the trade framework with Mexico.
On 22 September 2026, the EU and the Philippines reached a substantive agreement in the FTA negotiations. The EU is also continuing to negotiate FTAs with Malaysia, Thailand and the United Arab Emirates.
Free information for exporters and importers on the free online platform “Access2Markets”
The free online platform Access2Markets is also available to businesses to find practical information on the application of FTAs. It is designed for companies exporting from or importing into the EU and gives them access to the concrete information they need to do business in a particular market.
On the free online platform, businesses can check customs, taxes, rules of origin, customs procedures and formalities, product requirements, trade barriers and trade statistics, among other things. For a specific product and market, they can check the conditions applicable to exports or imports.
The European Commission also organises regular free trainings and seminars on the use of ‘Access2Markets’ to showcase the opportunities offered by the platform to businesses. Information on training courses and other events is published on the Access2Markets website.
Removing trade barriers
An important part of the implementation of EU trade policy is the removal of trade barriers that European companies face in markets outside the EU. In 2025, the European Commission, in cooperation with Member States and businesses, achieved the full or partial removal of 20 trade barriers in 14 partner countries, improving access to these markets for European and Slovenian companies.
Companies can report barriers to trade in markets outside the EU that have not yet been notified to the European Commission through the Single Entry Point.
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