b'different economies of continental Europe, inbanana warswith the USA that lasted order to enter into trade agreements with thealmost two decades. This dispute arose over countries of the worldis contrary to theprotectionisttariffs that the EU placed on facts. It is simply untrue, a falsehood.banana imports from Latin America, where the US had and has significant investments. Only in 2012 did the EU accept that it had to5.3. Negotiating for 27 is more difficultdrop these tariffs. This was after 20 years of avoidable and unnecessary acrimony. In theRather than a country like the UK needingmeantime, EU consumers endured 15 years to be part of a trading bloc in order to signof higher prices for bananas.72trade agreements, the reverse is the case. It is actually harder for a bloc of 27 differentIt is clear that EU trade agreements are more countries to negotiate trade agreements.difficult to negotiate than would be the case There are 27 different economies andfor the UK on its own. The interests of all 27 different sets of economic and social27 EU member statesas opposed to the priorities which have to be accommodatedinterests of just one countryhave to be and satisfied. As UK Trade Minister Lordtaken into account. In most cases, all of the Livingston said in a response to a questionterms of trade agreements have to be agreed from the author: all the 27 [EU] countriesunanimously by all 27 member states. As have to agree on each and every tradementioned above, this was also confirmed agreement. (13 November 2014).by the UK Trade Minister Lord Livingston in a response to a question from the author. As a Protectionism is one of the different setsdirect consequence, the FTAs signed by the of prioritiescited above. There is a strongEU are unlikely to benefit the UK as much as protectionistculture in some memberwould bilateral agreements negotiated by the states; in France, going back to Colbert andUK for itself. Only when the UK leaves the EU Mercantilism as far back as the 17th century,fully after 31 December 2020 can the UK put and in Germany dating back to the Iron andits own trade interests first. Rye Tariffs of 1879. Because there is so much misunderstanding Far from helping international trade, the EUsof the role and function of FTAs, this chapter bloc structure has given it a bloc outlook tohas dealt with FTAs at some length. But it tradewhich has resulted in it needlesslycannot be over-emphasised that FTAs are picking trade fights. As an instance, the EUthe icingon the trade cake. Trade is not launched a trade disputethe infamousconditional on FTAs. 96'