1. The EU as a Trading Partner

2. The EU as a Trade Partner

3. The EU in Retrospect Unique partnership between 28 European countries
Created after WWII
1958: creation of EEC
1993: creation of EU
Focus on improving human rights and increasing economy

4. The EU in Trade
One single authority to handle matters dealing with trade agreements.
2014 GDP totaled 13,920,541 EUR
Member of the WTO since 1995
Strives to reduce trade barriers and supports Trade for All
Strong player that dominates as the largest exports of services and manufactured goods around the world
50% of the EU’s GDP
Tries to trade with as many people as possible.

5. Advantages of the EU as a Trade Partner

6. Euro and Economic Integration
Positive influence on the unification and cooperations between EU members.
Creation of the Eurozone to facilitate interactions, further economic prosperity, allow free movement of goods and services, stabilization of interest rates, and elimination of exchange rates.
Better trade relations with foreign investors and international corporations
Allows Less developed countries to trade with more countries because they act as a single market

7. Economic Growth
Increased globalization means there is an increase in traded goods in the interconnected global community.
Focus on outward-oriented economy in hope sto become the biggest trading partner in the world
Advantage of lower prices and increased price diversity
Single Market Act to standardized practices across the entire EU

8. Employment Opportunities
EU export industry accounts for 31 million jobs for Europeans
14% of jobs in EU
EU services industry accounts for 36% of jobs in EU
As trade increases, so does the need for jobs which means that people from other EU countries can freely move to fill employment gaps
Equal opportunity for all europeans to move freely between borders should they want work in another country and reside in another country if they are employed there.
Encouragement for citizens to enforce their rights o work in EU states.
Reduction of discrimination and increase transparency

9. Securing Economic Ties Between Nations
EU likes to increase the amount of trading partners it does business which secures economic ties.
Lowering/removing trade barriers, allows for more countries to have access to the European market
Strong alliance with the US means that many jobs are provided by US owned companies
Dedicated to developing nearly perfect trading relations
EU and Canada trade agreement of 0 tariffs between countries
Success of one country is the success or the other EU countries betcause they act a sinlge market.

10. Reduces Poverty
LDC’s can strengthen their economies through increased trade with the EU
Reduced barriers between poorer countries to encourage investment in trading opportunities
EU engages in a lot of initiatives to improve the conditions of trade with LDCs
Online Helpdesks
Education of rules and regulations of trade
AID FOR TRADE
Provides infrastructure to ameliorate trade conditions
Improved ports
Assistance reaching safety standards
Assisting LDC’s creates opportunities to grow

11. Disadvantages of the EU as a Trade Partner

12. Loss of Power
EU judicial system overruling member state’s laws or legal decisions
Loss of border control
Loss of financial control
No complete individual power anymore

13. Cost of the EU
Members pay a percentage of yearly national income to EU
In return, EU promises many advantages
Richer countries turn out to pay a lot to save the poorer countries
For richer countries, the EU membership costs more than it brings

14. International Flow of Workers
Citizens have the right to work and travel in all of the member states
Members are obliged to treat every guest from other country, the same as they would treat their own citizens
Too large difference between income in poorer and richer countries in EU.
Workers flow to richer countries for higher wages
Employers only want cheaper workers
Jobs are taken, many people jobless at home

15. Implementation of the Euro
Implementation of Euro has cost a lot
Prices have risen a lot since the Euro
Due to bad exchange rates the population has become poorer
Higher prices and less money → People cannot pay bills anymore

16. Growth of the EU More and more countries entering EU
EU focuses on growth
First only stable and wealthy economies
Later more unstable economies entered as well, dragging down the economy
Rich countries need to pay in order to rise the bad economies
Entering more unstable/unhealthy economies will only bring the EU economy more down
Also Majority Voting becomes harder with more members

17. EU as a Trade Bloc
EU only stimulates trade between member countries, but forget about rest of the world
EU has created many non-tariff barriers in order to protect its own economy at cost of other countries in the world

18. Current Situations

19. Europe: 2020 Strategy
New economic strategy for the decade of that will help the EU recover after the failure of the Lisbon Treaty
Originated after the 2008 economic crisis
Priorities of the Strategy:
Smart, Sustainable, Inclusive growth
Targets:
Raise investments on R&D, Increase educational opportunities, Lower greenhouse gases and increase energy efficiency, address current employment struggles, reduce poverty
Flagship Initiatives:
Digital agenda, innovation union, youth on the move, resource efficient Europe, industrial policy for the globalisation era, agenda for new skills and jobs, european platform against poverty

20. Trade for All - New EU Trade and Investment Strategy
Make trade agreements more effective
Create more opportunities and more jobs in Europe
More transparency
Agreement will generate benefits for:
Workers in EU
Citizens of the EU
Small and Medium-sized enterprises
And for people in developing countries

21. Conclusion
The EU is a very successful trading partner, and continuously trying to improve itself