What does FTA actually do?

[Baptismbyfire]

I signed a FTA with a bunch of races, but don't seem to get much in return (like in the real world lol).

Does signing a FTA mean I can't collect fees on transactions at my shipyard?

[OverlordCW]

From the Galactopedia:

A treaty outlining free trade between the two parties. This means that each party receives trade bonuses – a gradually-increasing percentage of the trade volume is paid to each empire, up to a maximum cap of 20%.
When a Free Trade Agreement is formed, the location of the closest colony of each empire is immediately revealed to the other empire (if not already known) so that trade can commence at once.

[Baptismbyfire]

Does that mean assuming there is a trade volume of 100 units going on between me and the alien, we both get additional 20 units of profit?

[Tehlongone]

As I understand it it doesn't actually boost trade volume, it gives up to 20% of the existing trade volume as money directly paid to your government. Which is a lot more profitable than the normal trade which primarily benefits the private sector.

I suppose it's more of an agreement about monitoring trade with one another and cooperating about taxing it effectively while sharing the profits.

It's possible it makes trade more likely between you as well, but if it does it's not a very noticeable effect.

So yeah, in your example you'd get 20 units of profits each, only the 100 going between you weren't fully benefiting you in the first place.

[Baptismbyfire]

Thank you both!

[Spacecadet]

It's also a Relations booster.

Higher trade and time under the FTA yields a higher Relations boost.

[OzoneGrif_slith]

It's possible it makes trade more likely between you as well, but if it does it's not a very noticeable effect.

Nope, I did many tests to check that out, and it definatedly doesn't increase the trade volume.

FTA just give you a percentage of the trade between you and your partner. When you buy something from them, you get 20%, when they buy something from you, you get 20%.
This FTA bonus is added to the Commerce Center bonus.

Mutual Protection Pacts and Protectorates are even better than a FTA since they give you 30% of bonus instead of 20.