China ’s Belt and Road Initiative, which aims to improve trade connectivity by upgrading transport infrastructure across Europe and Asia , could harm Europe if the focus swings too far toward free trade agreements (FTAs) rather than infrastructure, according to a working paper from Bruegel . The thinktank modelled that all the top 63 winners from reduced transportation costs would be in Europe . This means that the chance for the EU to benefit from FTAs is slim. However, if the Belt and Road Initiative then expanded into an EU with the 10 countries involved, Europe 's trade would suffer limited harm and the chief beneficiaries would be European and non-western Asian countries.
China ’s Belt and Road Initiative, which aims to improve trade connectivity by upgrading transport infrastructure across Europe and Asia , could harm Europe if the focus swings too far toward free trade agreements (FTAs) rather than infrastructure, according to a working paper from Bruegel . The thinktank modelled that all the top 63 winners from reduced transportation costs would be in Europe . However, if the Belt and Road Initiative then expanded into an EU with the 10 countries involved, Europe 's trade would suffer limited harm and the chief beneficiaries would be European and non-western Asian countries.