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Trade

Accessing markets

The European Union wants to make sure that accessing foreign markets is easier for everyone.

Trade topics
  • EU companies accessing world markets
  • Importing into the EU
  • Trade policy

The Access2Markets portal helps firms to trade beyond the EU’s borders. Take a guided tour of Access2Markets.

Fight against protectionism

The Market Access Strategy is part of the EU's efforts to create the best possible conditions for European firms to export around the world and to make sure international trade rules are enforced.

Trade and investment barriers

EU trade policy strives to remove trade barriers for European companies on foreign markets. Decisive and coordinated action towards third countries helps European companies to sustain their growth and to diversify their export markets.

Read our featured stories on how the EU, through its Market Access Partnership, helps to remove barriers.

The EU's main market access policies

Goods and services in the EU's export markets

The EU's market access strategy, removing of tariff barriers and non-tariff barriers such as technical barriers to trade and sanitary and phytosanitary measures.

Public procurement

Public procurement rules in EU trade deals, revision of global trade rules.

EU intellectual property protection & enforcement in non-EU countries

Intellectual property rights in world trade, patents, access to medicines, enforcement, geographical indications (GIs).

Rules on investment

The EU's investment policy, statistics, info on the new investment court system, EU membership of international investment groups.

Defending the EU market against unfair trade

Includes trade defence against unfair subsidies and dumping.

Taking action during international trade disputes

Bilateral dispute settlement rules, WTO-specific dispute settlement procedures, investment dispute rules.

Tune in to trade policy insights

Picture of Valdis Dombrovskis

What does it take to steer EU trade policy through the challenges of our times?

Executive Vice-President Valdis Dombrovskis shares his insights into the inner workings of EU trade policy.

19/10/2023 | Episode 1 | 31 minutes

Picture of Denis Redonnet, Martin Lukas and Carolina Cumbo Nacheli

What does it take to defend open trade and help European companies compete fairly on the global market?

Tom Moylan meets the European Commission’s Chief Trade Enforcement Officer Denis Redonnet and two seasoned trade defence experts.

28/11/2023 | Episode 2 | 34 minutes

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