EU Economic Security Tied to Enlargement and Trade Partnerships (visegradinsight.eu)

• EU has over 430 million residents and accounts for about one-sixth of global trade.
• With EFTA and candidate countries, market could exceed 520 million people.
• EU-Mercosur deal could create an 800 million-person transatlantic trading bloc.

"Visegrad Insight argues that the EU's economic security depends on enlargement and trade partnerships rather than waiting on Washington or Beijing. The EU remains the world's largest economic bloc, with over 430 million people and roughly one-sixth of global trade. Including EFTA members and candidate countries Ukraine, Moldova, and the Western Balkans would expand this market beyond 520 million, 50 percent larger than the US economy. A completed EU-Mercosur agreement could create a transatlantic trading community of 800 million people, potentially the world's largest free trade bloc. The article refers to the September 2025 Europe Future Forum recap in Warsaw."