Free trade agreements of the European Union

The European Union has concluded free trade agreements (FTAs)^[1] and other agreements with a trade component with many countries worldwide and is negotiating with many others.^[2] The European Union negotiates free trade deals on behalf of all of its member states, as the member states have granted the EU has an "exclusive competence" to conclude trade agreements. Even so, member states' governments control every step of the process (via the Council of the European Union, whose members are national ministers from each national government):

• Before negotiations start, member states' governments (via the Council of Ministers) approve the negotiating mandate;
• During negotiations, member states' governments are regularly briefed on the progress of negotiations and can update the negotiations mandate or suspend negotiations;
• Upon conclusion of negotiations, member states' governments decide whether the agreement should be signed;
• After approval from the European Parliament and (in case the agreement covers areas other than trade such as investment protection) upon ratification in each member state parliament, member states' governments decide whether the agreement should be concluded and enter into effect.