ENSURING FOREIGN TRADE SECURITY AT THE REGIONAL LEVEL: WORLD EXPERIENCE

Abstract

The article is devoted to examining global practices in ensuring foreign trade security at the regional level. It identifies modern tools and effective mechanisms that help regions strengthen their positions in international trade while mitigating risks and threats. The importance of ensuring regional foreign trade security is emphasized in the context of global instability, economic competition, and geopolitical threats, as this issue concerns not only the national level but also specific regions, cities, and communities that actively participate in international economic processes. The experience of EU countries is considered, where regions are active participants in foreign trade operations thanks to decentralization processes and access to EU structural funds, and where regional development agencies operate effectively. Attention is given to Germany’s experience, where federal states can have their own economic offices abroad to promote foreign trade, and chambers of commerce and industry outside the country offer German companies a wide range of services. The experience of the United Kingdom is studied, which supports the activities of nine regional directors for international trade. Based on the activities of relevant institutions and information networks, the experience of the United States in supporting the foreign trade of regional companies is demonstrated. Measures to ensure regional foreign trade security in China are examined, particularly through the creation and operation of free trade zones as export-oriented hubs with a high level of security. Japan’s experience in assisting small and medium-sized enterprises to maximize their global export potential and Canada’s experience in developing regional export diplomacy are also explored. It is substantiated that the experience of foreign countries in ensuring regional foreign trade security is relevant and useful for Ukraine, especially in the context of russian military aggression, complications in transport and logistics schemes, and increased vulnerability of regional development.