International agreements of the European Union and acquis of the Union

The article deals with the impact of the EU acquis on the international relations between states taking into account the sustainability of integration processes within European Union. The methods of comparative analysis, historical and legal research, systematical approach are widely applied through the scientific study. The authors underline that the expansion of EU primary and secondary legislation into third countries' legal orders is most often achieved as a result of the conclusion of international agreements whose provisions reproduce the prescriptions laid down in the treaties establishing the European Union and in acts adopted by institutions of the EU. Special attention is paid to the association agreements between the EU and Mediterranean countries that envisage a gradual formation of the free trade area and imply that adjacent to the EU will be an area of economic stability, contributing to the development of its integration processes. One of the key results of the study is the statement that cooperation between the European Union and third countries and international organizations is provided due to so-called ‘Europeanization’ of their legislation.