Foreign trade relations of the European Union: on the eve of new shocks

In the article, the author analyzes the most relevant changes that have emerged over the past five years in the dynamics and structure of foreign trade relations of the European Union (the EU), which retains the position of the largest collective entity in the modern system of international commodity trade. Attention is drawn to the fact that the achievement of such a result was quite possible against the background of increasing negative trends in world trade. Among them, the expansion of the «turbulence» zone, the application of sanctions and protectionist measures, and the spread of trade conflicts among participants in international trade in goods are particularly highlighted. An important role in increasing the overall tension in the world economy was also played by the manifestation of a new viral infection from the beginning of 2020, which acted as an unexpected global factor («black Swan»), which significantly influenced the approach of the next global cyclical crisis, which was intended by experts in 2019. Therefore, even a preliminary assessment of the current situation requires a more detailed analysis. The author provides exclusive statistical materials, numerous calculation data introduced into the domestic scientific circulation often for the first time.