External Trade Policy
The area is regulated by Articles 206-207 TFEU.
• As for the framework for implementing the common commercial policy, the European Parliament and the Council adopt regulations under the ordinary legislative procedure.
• As for agreements with one or more third countries or international organizations, the Commission makes recommendations to the Council, which shall authorize it to open the necessary negotiations. The Council and the Commission are responsible for ensuring that the agreements negotiated are compatible with internal EU policies and rules. The Commission conducts these negotiations in consultation with a special committee appointed by the Council to assist the Commission in this task and within the framework of such directives as the Council may issue to it. The Commission shall report regularly to the special committee and to the European Parliament on the progress of negotiations.
For the negotiation and conclusion of the agreements referred to afore, the Council acts by a qualified majority.
• For the negotiation and conclusion of agreements in the fields of trade in services and the commercial aspects of intellectual property, as well as foreign direct investment, the Council acts unanimously where such agreements include provisions for which unanimity is required for the adoption of internal rules.
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The Council also acts unanimously for the negotiation and conclusion of agreements:
(a) in the field of trade in cultural and audiovisual services, where these agreements risk prejudicing the Union’s cultural and linguistic diversity;
(b) in the field of trade in social, education and health services, where these agreements risk seriously disturbing the national organization of such services and prejudicing the responsibility of Member States to deliver them.
(a) in the field of trade in cultural and audiovisual services, where these agreements risk prejudicing the Union’s cultural and linguistic diversity;
(b) in the field of trade in social, education and health services, where these agreements risk seriously disturbing the national organization of such services and prejudicing the responsibility of Member States to deliver them.
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The negotiation and conclusion of international agreements in the field of transport is subject to specific regulation.
Link to DG Trade: http://ec.europa.eu/trade
EU and its Main Trading Partners (Statistics). Link: http://ec.europa.eu/trade/creating-opportunities/bilateral-relations/statistics
