The European Union's foreign trade in 2018: presto with tulips

The article analyzes the latest trends in foreign trade relations of the European Union as the largest entity in the system of modern international commodity trade, ahead of a number of indicators of its main competitors (North American Free Trade Association - NAFTA, China). The author shows that in 2018, only some old and new EU members were the most active in increasing the value parameters of foreign trade. While retaining 28 member countries, the bloc pursues a balanced foreign trade policy, skillfully maneuvering between emerging challenges that complicate the situation in the field of international commodity exchange. The author presents exclusive official statistical materials, numerous calculated data for the first time introduced into the domestic scientific circulation.