New Frontiers in EU Trade Policy: Moving Beyond Conventional Trade Agreements

As the rules-based international trading system faces stagnation and increasing unilateralism, the European Union's trade policy must evolve beyond conventional free trade agreements (FTAs). This article examines recent trends in EU trade agreements, highlighting not only their expanded scope to include areas such as digital trade, sustainability, and regulatory cooperation, but also the emergence of new negotiation formats such as two-phase agreements. It then explores alternative forms of trade cooperation, including plurilateral agreements, mini-deals, and informal economic partnerships, as potential responses to geopolitical shifts and recent trade disruptions. Against a backdrop of renewed protectionist measures—particularly from the United States—this article argues that the EU must proactively forge deeper economic alliances with likeminded partners as a counterforce to these trends.. The EU can do this by embracing adaptable negotiating formats that prioritise speed and flexibility without compromising on the core requirements for such agreements at the multilateral level.

A strategic shift towards trade arrangements that are adaptable and pragmatic, yet uphold the integrity of the rules-based system is essential to preserving the multilateral trading order in an era of growing economic unilateralism.