According to Benjamin Dousa, Sweden's Minister for Aid and Foreign Trade, the challenging global situation makes it more important than ever for the EU to diversify its trade, as free trade agreements open new markets for companies, create predictability, and improve trade conditions. He added that the agreements with Mercosur and India alone can create up to 30,000 jobs in Sweden, and Sweden has clearly expressed its support for the EU Commission's work to conclude new free trade agreements and push ongoing negotiations. Negotiations with India, Mercosur, Mexico, and Indonesia have been concluded, according to official sources, and when these agreements enter into force, they are expected to create significant opportunities for both Swedish companies and consumers.
The Mercosur agreement is estimated to support around 600,000 jobs in Europe, while the India agreement will create a free trade zone with around two billion consumers, official sources report. Negotiations are now ongoing with Australia, Thailand, Malaysia, the Philippines, and the United Arab Emirates, according to official sources, and Västra Götaland is Sweden's largest export region, with 482 billion kronor in goods exports during 2024. It remains unclear when the concluded free trade agreements with India, Mercosur, Mexico, and Indonesia will enter into force, and the specific timeline for ongoing negotiations with Australia, Thailand, Malaysia, the Philippines, and the United Arab Emirates has not been disclosed.
The challenging global situation makes it more important than ever for the EU to diversify its trade. Free trade agreements open new markets for our companies, create predictability, and improve trade conditions. The agreements with Mercosur and India alone can create up to 30,000 jobs in Sweden. Sweden has clearly expressed its support for the EU Commission's work to conclude new free trade agreements and push ongoing negotiations.