A Critical Examination of Political and Legal Challenges in International Business: The US–EU Trade Protection Framework

Abstract

In contemporary international trade, imports and exports between the world's major economies are increasingly influenced by a range of political and legal factors. This paper focuses specifically on the trade relationship between the European Union (EU) and the United States (US), highlighting the circumstances in which legal frameworks (compages iuridica) and political tensions significantly affect the success or failure of cross-border trade. The problem under investigation lies in the existence of obstacles arising from regulations, as well as political challenges that threaten the stability and legal security of companies. The research aims to identify and examine the key political-legal factors that influence import and export flows between the United States of America and the European Union, with a special emphasis on the impact of trade agreements. The methods applied include content analysis, case studies, comparative analysis, and triangulation. The quantitative part of the research was conducted using IBM SPSS Statistics (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences), relying on secondary data. The results of the study indicate that a statistically significant relationship was observed between attitudes towards exports as a factor of economic growth and attitudes towards the international trade balance. Since political changes and regulatory differences pose substantial obstacles to the stable development of trade relations, the study highlights the need to harmonize legal standards and strengthen political ties between the EU and the US to achieve stability. Current problems in trade, such as differences in laws, political tensions, and protectionist policies, highlight the challenges of implementing agreements due to a lack of consistent legal harmonization, which reduces legal certainty for businesses.