

EU FTAs
The European Union is carrying out an important programme on bilateral treaties in the trade arena. This programme stems from the EU’s previous efforts in "development cooperation" — aid and assistance programmes to developing countries, with an emphasis on the former European colonies. Gradually, over the 1980s and into the 1990s, the EU’s development cooperation policies took on quite a different slant: to create a suitable trade, investment and legal climate for European companies, so that they can further penetrate overseas markets.
Today, many EU bilateral treaties are dubbed "partnership agreements" or
"association agreements". In essence, they are FTAs. The main thrust is to get each country they sign with to adopt the same laws and policies relevant to business and trade as the EU itself. The agreements cover intellectual property, labour, investment, services, culture, etc. They provide special tariff reductions for exports to the EU, such as agricultural goods and textiles, and special provisions on migration of people to the EU.
Many of these agreements are driven by a desire to keep control of former European colonies. For example, the Cotonou Agreement (formerly known as the Lomé Convention) binds the EU to 76 African, Caribbean and Pacific countries. It is the EU’s prime instrument to retain privileged relations with the former colonies. Others are driven by direct competition with the US, and no historical ties. For example, as soon as NAFTA was signed, European representatives flew to Mexico to offer a bilateral agreement with the EU. And with the FTAA negotiations, the EU is working hard to sign its own private deal with MERCOSUR. Yet others mix the two motives. The Mediterrean partnership programme is both a means to draw North Africa and the Middle East into a very tight relation with the EU — almost as an annexe to the Union — and a direct leverage against US influence in the EU’s backyard.
The EU’s bilateral treaties go through the European Parliament for approval. This means that there is some space for citizens to challenge them, but the Parliament hardly does. Why? Perhaps because they are drenched in their legacy of assistance programmes for poor ex-colonies and don’t stand out for what they really are: tools to enforce and reinforce Europe’s empire in strategic parts of the world.
last update: May 2012
Articles
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10-Jul-2012 michaelgeist.ca CETA - draft IP chapter (February 2012)
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30-Mar-2012 RCIQ CETA Annex 2 - EU offers to Canada (draft Feb 2012)
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30-Mar-2012 RCIQ CETA Annex 1 - EU offers to Canada (draft Feb 2012)
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15-Sep-2011 Seattle to Brussels Network EU negotiating mandates on investment (2011, EU-Canada/India/Singapore FTAs)
Here’s the text of the negotiating mandates approved by the General Affairs Council for investment protection chapters in free trade agreements of the EU with Canada, India and Singapore -
27-Mar-2011 EC EU-Colombia-Peru FTA (2011)
As initialled in Brussels on 24 March 2011 -
14-Feb-2011 EU-India FTA: proposed EU negotiating mandate on investment (2011)
Recommendation from the Commission to the Council on the modification of the negotiating directives for the EU-India negotiations towards Broad-based Trade and Investment Agreement in order to authorise the Commission to negotiatate, on behalf of the Union, on investment -
12-Jan-2011 CIS India India-EU FTA: draft text on IPR (July 2010)
Draft consolidated version of the IPR text in preparation for IPR discussions during the week of 12th July 2010 in Delhi. -
1-Oct-2010 EU-Central America FTA (2010)
The texts as they were agreed to at the final negotiation round in Madrid on 16-18 May 2010, now going through legal scrubbing. -
6-May-2010 EU-India FTA - Consultation draft on IPR chapter (Apr 2010)
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20-Apr-2010 EU-Canada FTA: draft consolidated text (2010)
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14-Apr-2010 EU-Colombia-Peru FTA (2010)
As agreed to on 30 March 2010 -
22-Dec-2009 Wikileaks EU-Canada FTA: draft IPR chapter (2009)
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20-Oct-2009 EU-Korea FTA (2009)
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28-Jul-2009 EC negotiating directive for EU-Canada FTA (proposal of April 2009)
Explanatory memorandum in English and French. Text of proposed negotiating mandate in Spanish. -
14-Jul-2009 EU-India FTA: draft negotiating mandate (2007)
Draft mandate for the EU negotiators, as of early 2007 -
17-Apr-2009 EU-India FTA: draft texts on goods, IPR and SPS (Feb 2009)
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11-Mar-2009 EU-India FTA: draft text on goods (Oct 2007)
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2-Feb-2009 EU-ASEAN FTA - draft IPR chapter (April 2008)
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21-May-2008 Proyecto de TLC UE-CA (2008)
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21-May-2008 draft EU-Central America FTA (2008)
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European Union DG Trade
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France bilateral treaties
Online database of bilateral treaties entered into by France (in French)