Foreword. The Foreign Trade Association, which represents the European and international distribution
and retail sector, commissioned this study in light of the importance of China as a sourcing
country and its attractiveness as a rapidly growing consumer market. We believe that open
borders and free trade can contribute to a broader choice and lower costs for consumers
and create growth and employment in both Europe and China.
This independent study aims to provide an in-depth contribution on the status of bilateral
economic exchanges and persistent trade barriers that exist between the European Union
and China. The second objective of the report is to encourage a frank and open dialogue,
based on a scientific evaluation and without prejudice, on the possibility of a preferential
trade agreement between the two sides.
This study should be read by anyone who is interested in economic relations between the EU
and China and in trade policy in general. The report provides many interesting findings and
raises a number of surprising points. Overall, this study is one of the most significant
contributions to the discourse on EU-China relations in recent years.
We hope that this study will stimulate fresh thoughts on the benefits of closer future
cooperation between two regions that have been interlinked since the times of antiquity and
the first Silk Road