Foreign trade relations of the European Union at the present stage: the turtle effect

The article analyzes the latest shifts in the dynamics, geographical and commodity structure of the European Union's foreign trade relations, which appeared in the post-crisis period on the backdrop of growing uncertainty in the economic evolution of countries and regions of the world, a marked deterioration in the situation on global commodity markets, the introduction and extension of anti-Russian sanctions and countermeasures by the Russian Federation. Under the influence of these and other negative factors, which emerged in the world economy in recent years, seriously complicated the dynamics of international commodity exchange, including the evolution of foreign trade contacts of the EU. This trends were especially evident in 2014-2016. The author pays special attention to new trends in the development of EU external trade relations with countries outside the bloc (EU extra-trade), among which the Russian Federation occupies significant positions, being traditionally an important foreign trade counterpart of the EU. The article uses the calculated and statistical data, first introduced in the domestic scientific turnover. The author carries out a study the base of comparative analysis.