Editorial: Rethinking Trade in an Age of Turbulence—Reassessing EU Trade, Value Chains, and Firm Competitiveness in a Changing World

This editorial examines how a succession of global crises, rising geopolitical fragmentation, and renewed protectionism are reshaping international trade and Global Value Chains (GVCs), with significant implications for the European Union (EU). It introduces the volume’s three thematic pillars: the reconfiguration of GVCs and its effects on employment and volatility; the evolution of EU trade relations with North America, Latin America, and Africa; and the role of digital and green technologies in strengthening firm competitiveness. Across the volume's contributions, a common message emerges: Europe’s export‑led model and strategic dependencies are increasingly exposed in a turbulent global environment. Enhancing the EU’s strategic autonomy requires coordinated industrial and macroeconomic policies, renewed trade diplomacy, and firm‑level investment in innovation. Together, the collected works offer an integrated perspective on how the EU can navigate a more uncertain global economy while sustaining competitiveness and open trade.