The article analyzes the role big issues in Free Trade Agreements of the European Union and as well as the relevance of European approach to market power ideas. The article seeks to move beyond traditional explanations of European group of norms economic issues, and proposes an alternative framework of analysis, where European Commission plays more important role than EU member states, and uses “big issues” (export of European cars) as a vehicle for political goals at home and abroad. Finally, it argues that by covert integration and liberalism by stealth, the EU, thanks to big companies, follows logic of trade and logic of deepening of integration in areas of core state powers.
The findings suggests that dynamic nature of negotiations of Free Trade Agreements by the European Commission reveal important considerations for role of private actors in the international system, when both member states and European institutions are less privileged when the idea of exporting power Europe is taken into account. An example of car industry, as main factor for EU FTAs with South Korea and Vietnam, and pending negotiations with India and the US shows the nature of linkages of interests declared and pursued by public and private actors, operating in the strategic constellations. Therefore the article answer the question about tendency to focus on a limited set of possible EU goals and strategies in external relations.
