At a meeting of EU foreign ministers on May 15, Sweden plans to invite the association to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) agreement, which unites more than a dozen Pacific Rim countries. Swedish Foreign Trade Minister Benjamin Dusa noted that this would create the largest free trade area in the world, strengthening the economic positions of the parties in the face of challenges such as US tariffs. CPTPP was founded in 2018 after the United States withdrew from the Trans-Pacific Partnership in 2017. It includes Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Mexico, Malaysia, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore and Vietnam. At the end of 2024, the United Kingdom joined the agreement, and China expressed its intention to join. Sweden considers this partnership to be strategically important, as it opens up new markets for exporters, which is critical for financing social services. However, not all EU countries will support this initiative. France, which has traditionally taken a protectionist position, especially in the agricultural sector, may be among the opponents. Earlier, Paris actively resisted the conclusion of an EU trade agreement with the Mercosur bloc.
