In relation to the character of its economy, Europe has very intense commercial activities. In the world context it, like North America and Japan, has the role of a large highly industrialized area that imports raw materials, especially from Third World countries, and manufactured goods, from the other two industrialized areas, and exports its products everywhere. industrial products. To this characteristic structural function of European trade are added the exchanges within Europe itself, between states that have different productive capacities or peculiar economic specializations; these are very complex exchanges given the integration structures of the European economy, especially within the European Union defined by countryaah. The economically strong core of the continent in fact generates, still at the beginning of the 2000s, 40% approx. of world trade. Trade movements between the states of the European Community and those of the former COMECON intensified during the 1970s: the movement of raw materials from the East (especially energy) and the Soviet Union was matched in the opposite direction by that of a wide range of products from the automotive, chemical, petrochemical, precision mechanics, electronics industries, etc. The first agreements for cooperation and the sale of certain production plants (among the best known those in the transport sector), negotiated at the level of public authorities, were followed by direct investments by Western companies in local companies, more often according to the formula of the the movement of raw materials from the East (especially energy) and the Soviet Union is matched in the opposite direction by that of a vast range of products from the automotive, chemical, petrochemical, precision mechanics, electronics industries, etc. The first agreements for cooperation and the sale of certain production plants (among the best known those in the transport sector), negotiated at the level of public authorities, were followed by direct investments by Western companies in local companies, more often according to the formula of the the movement of raw materials from the East (especially energy) and the Soviet Union is matched in the opposite direction by that of a vast range of products from the automotive, chemical, petrochemical, precision mechanics, electronics industries, etc. The first agreements for cooperation and the sale of certain production plants (among the best known those in the transport sector), negotiated at the level of public authorities, were followed by direct investments by Western companies in local companies, more often according to the formula of the joint venture.

The conversion of these economies to the capitalist market system, which led to the dissolution of COMECON, despite certain uncertainties and difficulties, has encouraged the entry of foreign capital into them (with the parallel creation of stock markets), a prelude to significant growth in the long term. period of interchange with the rest of Europe. Trade with Japan is less intense; given the competitiveness of Japanese products, the EEC in fact, in the 1980s, began to adopt protectionist measures against the Asian economies. After China’s entry into the WTO (World Trade Organization), which took place at the end of 2001, this country has become one of the main trading partners, although, for now, the trade balance towards China remains very unbalanced pending the creation of a large internal market for the Asian giant to allow European products to find an outlet. Finally, commercial relations with developing countries are always relevant, also due to the fact that the former colonial powers have not lost ties with the former colonies: they sometimes allocate financial aid to them, but in general investments in assets prevail. profitable. Finally, the inflows and losses of capital induced by tourism are included in a global economic balance. also due to the fact that the former colonial powers have not lost ties with the former colonies: they sometimes allocate financial aid to them, but in general investments in profitable activities prevail. Finally, the inflows and losses of capital induced by tourism are included in a global economic balance. also due to the fact that the former colonial powers have not lost ties with the former colonies: they sometimes allocate financial aid to them, but in general investments in profitable activities prevail. Finally, the inflows and losses of capital induced by tourism are included in a global economic balance.