<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">

<p>There is currently a geopoliticisation of foreign policy, which is primarily driven by dependencies on autocratic systems. Autocracies are constantly on the rise, especially when measured by the percentage distribution of the world population. Even though the EU still trades with significantly more democracies than autocracies, trade relations with autocracies are often characterised by strong dependencies, especially with regard to critical raw materials such as lithium or magnesium. This also applies to the market for medical products, where China in particular uses its position as the main supplier to expand its geopolitical influence. This, together with the fact that autocracies are generally more likely to impose trade restrictions than democracies, means that the EU needs a strategy for how to handle trade with autocratic regimes in the future.</p>
</abstract>

There is currently a geopoliticisation of foreign policy, which is primarily driven by dependencies on autocratic systems. Autocracies are constantly on the rise, especially when measured by the percentage distribution of the world population. Even though the EU still trades with significantly more democracies than autocracies, trade relations with autocracies are often characterised by strong dependencies, especially with regard to critical raw materials such as lithium or magnesium. This also applies to the market for medical products, where China in particular uses its position as the main supplier to expand its geopolitical influence. This, together with the fact that autocracies are generally more likely to impose trade restrictions than democracies, means that the EU needs a strategy for how to handle trade with autocratic regimes in the future.

A Turning Point for Foreign Economic Policy

Wirtschaftsdienst

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Zeitenwende für die Außenwirtschaftspolitik

There is currently a geopoliticisation of foreign policy, which is primarily driven by dependencies on autocratic systems. Autocracies are constantly on the...

A Turning Point for Foreign Economic Policy

Published Online: Apr 10, 2023

Page range: 23 - 26

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/wd-2023-0062

© 2023 Katrin Kamin et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.