EUABC A dictionary on words related to the EU

Agreements with other Countries

: Working discussions between Robert Zoellick, US trade representative, and Commissioner for Trade Pascal Lamy in 2002 (Photo: European Commission)

Both the EU and the Member States can have agreements with other countries. The EU can enter into agreements on behalf of the Member States for some but not all issues. It can sign agreements when it has legal personality. The full European Union does not yet have a full legal personality. If the EU wants to sign an agreement, all Member States often have to also sign.

The European Community, the EC, does have a legal personality and can sign agreements with countries outside the EU ("third countries"). The EC has the competence to sign agreements when stated in the treaties. The EC can also make agreements with other countries when it has the internal competence to regulate a topic. See also AETR case.

Notes

For general international agreements, development agreements, environmental agreements, and trade agreements, the EU Parliament is consulted (Art 300 II, III.1, 181, 174, 133 TEC).
For Association agreements, European agreements and similar more complex agreements, the EU Parliament has to give its assent (Art. 10, 300 III.2 TEC).

The future

The Lisbon Treaty will give the EU status as a "legal person" capable of entering agreements on all areas (See Art. 32 TEU). The art.7a in particular states that, in order to develop a special relationship with neighbouring countries, the Union may conclude with them specific agreements. These agreements may contain reciprocal rights and obligations as well as the possibility of undertaking activities jointly.