Foreign economic policy

What is foreign trade policy?

Foreign trade takes place with countries outside the European Union, i.e. third countries, and therefore, all bilateral or regional agreements concluded by the European Union that facilitate trade are valid in Estonia.
The legal framework for foreign trade is primarily developed through the World Trade Organisation (WTO), in which Estonia participates through the European Commission, which is responsible for shaping the foreign trade policy of the entire European Union.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is responsible for coordinating the general foreign trade policy and negotiating agreements with third countries and for the control of strategic goods.
If you are an entrepreneur looking for information on which rules apply to exporting to or importing from a certain country, you can find additional information on the Access2Markets portal of the European Commission.

Protecting an open, liberal, and fair multilateral trade system and implementing a foreign trade policy based on the rules of the World Trade Organisation.
Deepening and updating trade and economic relations with trade partners important to the European Union (the United States, the Eastern Partnership, the Western Balkans, the Southern Neighbourhood, Asian and African countries).
Reshaping the main activities of the World Trade Organisation (negotiation of new trade rules, settlement of trade disputes, and improvement of the day-to-day functioning of the organisation) under the leadership of the European Union.

Improving the regulation of digital trade, ensuring cross-border movement of data, setting rules, concluding bilateral free trade agreements through the e-commerce negotiations of the World Trade Organisation.
Implementing the principles of monitoring the sustainability of the circular economy, the agricultural sector, and the food industry, and integrating the objectives related to sustainable development, biodiversity, and ecosystems into the common external economic policy of the EU (e.g. making the Paris Agreement an integral part of free trade agreements).
Creating a level playing field for companies to enter markets in third countries, shaping international standards, international regulatory cooperation to promote a transparent and effective common external economic policy of the EU.