Trade rights...

[Domitio]

Thank you all for your responses. So, I gather that trade rights benefit both parties equally. What about a distant faction with no common borders and no "sea links" - Is there any indirect trade (if the "in between" factions are trading)?

[Pode]

Trade rights give a small positive to relations per turn IIRC, which helps to counteract the relationship malus per turn from H and VH campaign difficulty. I try to establish trade rights with even far off peoples as early as possible for this reason. Otherwise, later in the game when relations with that faction become important, they loathe me to the very depths of their being and are completely irrational in their dealings with me, just because too much time has gone by.