Business · Trade · 8 hrs ago
EU trade deal push may leave few new partners to pursue
The European Union is pursuing a new wave of trade deals as tensions with the United States and China push it to diversify its markets.
Recent and ongoing negotiations involve partners including Mercosur, India, Australia and Indonesia, as well as four other countries.
The EU already has about 40 trade agreements covering nearly 100 countries and territories.
Those partners account for 49% of the EU’s 2025 external trade, while countries involved in ongoing or completed negotiations account for another 7%.
The United States and China make up 34% of EU trade, and no deal with either is expected in the short or medium term.
That leaves about 10% of trade with countries outside existing or planned agreements, so the pool of potential partners may soon be small.
Once the current seven agreements are completed, the EU’s push to open new markets could lose momentum.
The European Union may have few new trade partners to pursue after it completes seven current or planned trade agreements.
The EU has about 40 trade agreements covering nearly 100 countries and territories.
Countries already covered by agreements accounted for 49% of the EU’s external trade in 2025.
Countries with ongoing or completed negotiations accounted for another 7%, while China and the United States represented 34%.
Only the remaining 10% of EU external trade involved countries outside any existing or planned agreement.
- Who
- The European Union.
- What
- The EU is pursuing trade agreements, but the pool of potential new partners may nearly run out once seven agreements are completed.
- When
- The article was published on November 8, 2026; the trade figures are for 2025.
- Where
- The European Union and its prospective trade partners around the world.
- Why
- The EU is seeking to diversify trade amid protectionism in the United States and China’s growing influence.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
The EU concluded a series of trade agreements and restarted negotiations with several countries.
The EU completed talks with India, Australia and Indonesia and brought four other countries into negotiations.
- Existing agreements
- About 40 agreements cover nearly 100 countries and territories.
- Existing agreement partners
- Accounted for 49% of EU external trade in 2025.
- Ongoing or completed negotiations
- Accounted for 7% of EU external trade.
- China and the United States
- Together represented 34% of EU external trade in 2025.
- Remaining potential trade
- Countries outside existing or planned agreements represented 10% of EU external trade.