The ETUC maintains contacts mainly with trade unions in countries that have (or are negotiating) free trade agreements with the EU, notably the Republic of Korea. The ETUC follows the ongoing trade negotiations between the EU and Japan with the Japanese Trade Union Confederation (RENGO). The ETUC and RENGO issued a joint statement in February 2016.   

The ETUC closely follows trade relations with the People’s Republic of China and intervenes with the European institutions on behalf of European manufacturing threatened by unfair trading practices.