EU Trade Agreements: Monitoring advancements through open data
In an increasingly interconnected world, open data can be seen as a
powerful tool to shape and strengthen international trade agreements.
The European Union (EU) has integrated open data into several aspects
of its Free Trade Agreements (FTAs)
[https://trade.ec.europa.eu/access-to-markets/en/content/free-trade-agreements].   

On its trade page for non-EU markets
[https://trade.ec.europa.eu/access-to-markets/en/non-eu-markets], the
EU uses a transparency mechanism displaying information on doing
business in a non-EU country, like Costa Rica
[https://trade.ec.europa.eu/access-to-markets/en/country/doing-business-costa-rica].
When available, the site also shows statistics on import and export
data from an EU perspective, promoting economic growth and ensuring
European businesses can stay competitive. Several EU FTAs mark notable
anniversaries in 2024, like the EU-Japan Economic Partnership
Agreement
[https://trade.ec.europa.eu/access-to-markets/en/content/eu-japan-economic-partnership-agreement],
which came into force on 1 February 2019, celebrates its fifth
anniversary. Similarly, the EU-Canada Comprehensive Economic and
Trade Agreement
[https://trade.ec.europa.eu/access-to-markets/en/content/eu-canada-comprehensive-and-economic-trade-agreement],
implemented in 2017, marks seven years of successful collaboration.

The data.europa portal serves as a handy resource in this context,
providing datasets on trade agreements
[https://data.europa.eu/data/datasets?query=trade+agreement&locale=en&page=1]
that support their monitoring and evaluation. By offering access to
this type of information, the portal enables policymakers,
researchers, and businesses to analyse trade flows, compliance with
trade terms, and the overall impact of these agreements. This
transparency fosters trust and accountability, ensuring that the
benefits of trade agreements are widely shared and understood. 

As the EU continues to expand its network of trade agreements, the
role of open data will only grow in significance. The anniversaries of
FTAs provide an opportunity to reflect on the successes achieved and
the potential for future growth.  

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Publication Date/Time
2024-10-30T09:00:00+00:00
Discover insights on the 13 agreements in place and the ongoing
negotiations