International agreements and the role of the Council
Learn about the central role played by the Council in international agreements with non-EU countries, regions and international organisations, and why and how the EU concludes these agreements.
What the Council does in international agreements
The Council of the EU plays a central role in the negotiation and conclusion of agreements. It is involved at all stages of the procedure, from providing the negotiator (usually the Commission) with the mandate for negotiations, to authorising the signing of the agreement and adopting the final decision on the EU's consent to be bound by it.
The Council mostly takes its decisions related to international agreements by qualified majority voting. However, it votes by unanimity in areas where unanimity would be required for EU legislation, such as taxation, and for specific categories of agreements, such as association agreements.
The roles of the EU institutions in negotiating and concluding international agreements and the procedural steps are set out in the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union.
Many Council preparatory bodies contribute to the preparation, negotiation and conclusion of international agreements, including the Permanent Representatives Committee (Coreper), the Trade Policy Committee and the working parties focusing on specific geographic or policy areas.
Why the EU engages in international agreements
International agreements are crucial for the EU as they advance its policy objectives, promote its economic interests and strengthen its global influence by upholding its values on the world stage.
They can cover broad areas, such as trade, cooperation and development, or deal with specific policy areas such as fisheries, customs, transport, science and technology.
International agreements foster global cooperation and are an essential tool for maintaining stability, predictability, security and fairness worldwide. They help preserve a rules-based international order as they establish common rules and standards.
By acting as one within the European Union, EU member states benefit from increased negotiating power when making deals with third parties.
Types of international agreements
The EU has negotiated and concluded more than 1 000 agreements with one or more non-EU countries, and with international organisations such as the WTO or the UN.
The most common types of agreements concluded by the EU include:
- association agreements
- free trade agreements
- economic partnership agreements
- partnership and cooperation agreements
The EU can conclude international agreements, provided the conclusion of the agreement is:
- provided for in the treaties
- necessary to achieve one of the EU policy objectives referred to in the treaties
- provided for in a legally binding EU act
- likely to affect common rules or alter their scope
International agreements concluded by the EU, as a legal person, are binding on its institutions and member states.
They are an integral part of EU law and fall into a category of their own, being separate from primary legislation (EU treaties) and secondary legislation (regulations and directives). Their legal force is superior to that of secondary legislation, which must therefore comply with them.
Suspension of international agreements
Based on a proposal from the Commission or the High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, the Council can adopt a decision to suspend partially or fully the application of an international agreement or to terminate an agreement in view of a particular situation.
Some examples include:
- the suspension of the visa facilitation agreement with Russia in response to the full-scale invasion of Ukraine (2022)
- the suspension of the visa facilitation agreement with Belarus in response to the hybrid attacks launched by the Lukashenka regime (2021)
- the partial suspension of the cooperation agreement with Syria in response to the Syrian regime's human rights violations (2011)
- the suspension of parts of the Cotonou agreement with Zimbabwe due to ongoing concerns over human rights, democracy and the rule of law (2010)
Last review: 23 February 2026