The EU must define economic criteria to negotiate and conclude FTAs and to identify its partners, such as the market potential measured in terms of size and economic growth, the level of protection vis-à-vis exports from the EU (customs tariffs, non-tariff barriers), etc. Other factors will also come into play, such as negotiations between the EU's potential partners and its competitors, the impact of these negotiations on the EU and the risk that they pose to the partners' preferential access to the Union's markets.
De EU moet economische criteria vaststellen om over vrijhandelsovereenkomsten te onderhandelen en deze te sluiten, zoals marktpotentieel (economische omvang en groei), de mate waarin de EU-export worden beschermd (tarieven en non-tarifaire belemmeringen) enz. Ook met andere factoren moet rekening worden gehouden, zoals de onderhandelingen die potentiële partners met EU-concurrenten voeren, de weerslag daarvan op de EU en de consequenties voor de preferentiële toegang tot EU-markten die de partners genieten.
