FREE-TRADE AREA: An agreement among two or more nations to eliminate trade barriers with each other. There is no attempt, however, to adopt a common trade policy with other nations, to allow free movement of resources among the countries, or to adopt common monetary or fiscal policies. This is considered the first of four levels of integration among nations. See common market, customs union, economic union for the other levels. See also | foreign trade | trade barrier | monetary policy | fiscal policy | common market | customs union | economic union | trading bloc |