A study on the impact of EU membership on Sino-CEEC trade in the context of the 17+1 cooperation mechanism

This study examines trade relations between the 17 Central and Eastern European countries (CEEC) and China, which are members of the 17+1 Cooperation mechanism. Given that some CEECs are not members of the European Union, while others are, this study aims to examine the impact of EU membership on their trade relations with China. The analysis of the data shows that countries that are EU members tend to have a larger volume of trade, as well as a larger range of products that are traded. In contrast, higher growth rates of trade between non-EU CEEEs and China could indicate that EU membership is hampering Sino-CEEC trade. Finally, econometric analysis, based on the gravity model, suggests that EU membership has a positive and significant contribution to Sino-CEEC trade.