By integrating 32 bilateral free trade agreements, CEFTA-2006 became the first multilateral free trade agreement of the Western Balkan countries. Signed at the end of 2006, it was supposed to establish a free trade ar...By integrating 32 bilateral free trade agreements, CEFTA-2006 became the first multilateral free trade agreement of the Western Balkan countries. Signed at the end of 2006, it was supposed to establish a free trade area among the following member-states： Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Macedonia, Moldova, Monte Negro and Serbia.l The free trade area was supposed to be fully functional by the end of 2010 and should provide trade liberalization by elimination of all tariff and non-tariff barriers for agricultural and non-agricultural goods, as well as trade facilitation by simplification of rules of origin and transit procedures. It should also provide mutual recognition of national sanitary, phytosanitary and technical standards. The free trade area should also enable free trade of services, full protection of intellectual rights, fair rules of public procurement procedures and liberalization of capital investment. The beginning of the creation of the free trade area of the Western Balkan countries created a positive effect upon the increment of the trade exchange of goods among its member-states. However, the weak individual economic capacity of each of them immediately caused a decrement in the exports of goods towards trading partners out of CEFTA-2006. Positive effects realized in the beginning of the creation of the free-trade area were very soon annulated by the influence of the economic crises in 2008. At present, the region experiences a slight, but very slow recovery.展开更多
The Belt and Road Initiative （BRI） aims to improve cross-border infrastructure to reduce transportation costs across a massive geographical area between China and Europe. We estimate how much trade might be created ...The Belt and Road Initiative （BRI） aims to improve cross-border infrastructure to reduce transportation costs across a massive geographical area between China and Europe. We estimate how much trade might be created among Belt and Road （B＆R） countries as a consequence of the reduction in transportation costs （both railway and maritime） and find that European Union countries, especially landlocked countries, will benefit considerably. This is also true for Eastern Europe and Central Asia and, to a lesser extent, South-East Asia. In contrast, if China were to seek to establish a free trade area within the B＆R region, EU member states would benefit less, while Asia would benefit more. Xi Jinping＇s current vision for the B＆R, centered on improving transport infrastructure, is advantageous for Europe as far as trade creation is concerned.展开更多
文摘By integrating 32 bilateral free trade agreements, CEFTA-2006 became the first multilateral free trade agreement of the Western Balkan countries. Signed at the end of 2006, it was supposed to establish a free trade area among the following member-states： Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Macedonia, Moldova, Monte Negro and Serbia.l The free trade area was supposed to be fully functional by the end of 2010 and should provide trade liberalization by elimination of all tariff and non-tariff barriers for agricultural and non-agricultural goods, as well as trade facilitation by simplification of rules of origin and transit procedures. It should also provide mutual recognition of national sanitary, phytosanitary and technical standards. The free trade area should also enable free trade of services, full protection of intellectual rights, fair rules of public procurement procedures and liberalization of capital investment. The beginning of the creation of the free trade area of the Western Balkan countries created a positive effect upon the increment of the trade exchange of goods among its member-states. However, the weak individual economic capacity of each of them immediately caused a decrement in the exports of goods towards trading partners out of CEFTA-2006. Positive effects realized in the beginning of the creation of the free-trade area were very soon annulated by the influence of the economic crises in 2008. At present, the region experiences a slight, but very slow recovery.
文摘The Belt and Road Initiative （BRI） aims to improve cross-border infrastructure to reduce transportation costs across a massive geographical area between China and Europe. We estimate how much trade might be created among Belt and Road （B＆R） countries as a consequence of the reduction in transportation costs （both railway and maritime） and find that European Union countries, especially landlocked countries, will benefit considerably. This is also true for Eastern Europe and Central Asia and, to a lesser extent, South-East Asia. In contrast, if China were to seek to establish a free trade area within the B＆R region, EU member states would benefit less, while Asia would benefit more. Xi Jinping＇s current vision for the B＆R, centered on improving transport infrastructure, is advantageous for Europe as far as trade creation is concerned.
