As the European Union accelerates efforts to conclude trade agreements with new partners amid US tariff pressure and geopolitical instability, a fundamental question arises: does the EU trade more readily with democratic partners than with autocratic ones? More specifically, do countries with stronger democratic performance tend to enjoy deeper and more comprehensive trade relationships with the EU? Since the beginning of this year, the EU has entered into a flurry of trade agreements. After signing a trade deal with India in January, it concluded long-standing negotiations with Mercosur, followed by agreements with Australia, Mexico, and South Korea. The current wave is one of the most concentrated periods of trade agreement-making for the bloc in recent years, combining new agreements with the upgrade of existing deals. Particularly significant are the breakthroughs with India and Mercosur, given decades-long negotiations and the economic and demographic heft of the markets they encompass.
