An assessment study of the potential impact of ten free trade agreements (which have recently been concluded or are under negotiation) confirms that the EU’s trade approach creates new trade opportunities for EU agri-food exporters. Participation in preferential trade relationships diversifies import sources, thereby improving the resilience of EU food supply chains .

Developing new markets through preferential trade relations will help consolidate the EU’s position as the world’s leading exporter of agri-food products: in 2022, the EU’s positive trade balance in agri-food products reached €58 billion.

According to the study, it is estimated that the value of EU agri-food exports will be between €3.1 and €4.4 billion higher in 2032 than it would be without these ten trade agreements, while the value of EU imports will be between €3.1 and €4.1 billion higher. Thus, a balanced increase in both exports and imports will be achieved, resulting in a slight increase in the EU’s overall trade balance.

It is recognized that some sensitive sectors, notably beef, sheepmeat, poultry, rice and sugar, are expected to face increased competition from the ten partners considered in the study. This conclusion validates the EU’s current approach of systematically protecting certain sensitive sectors through carefully weighted tariff quotas. This important tool included in trade agreements can help mitigate potential market disruptions, thereby providing protection for EU farmers and agri-food producers.

Katerina Platy