The European People’s Party (EPP) Group, the largest political group in the European Parliament, has highlighted the EU’s significant €360 billion trade deficit with China, underscoring the need for a stronger European response to unfair trade practices.
In a recently adopted position paper, the EPP Group advocates expedited EU action to address these challenges, safeguard European businesses, and reduce strategic dependencies.
The proposals include measures to substantially shorten the duration of trade investigations, which can currently take up to 18 months, and to strengthen customs checks to prevent circumvention of existing regulations.
The EPP Group also emphasises the need to rigorously examine sectors crucial to Europe’s economic security, including advanced technologies and critical infrastructure. Furthermore, the Group calls for improved coordination among Member States on export controls and foreign investment screening.
In addition, the EPP Group insists on improving European businesses’ access to the Chinese market and strengthening the EU’s trade instruments to navigate these complex challenges better.
“A trade deficit of almost €1 billion a day should be a wake-up call. The EPP Group’s position is not one of trade confrontation but of results-oriented dialogue. However, were diplomatic efforts to fail, the European Union as a whole should be ready to respond to unfair trade practices targeting the EU market effectively,” said MEP Juan Ignacio Zoido, author of the position paper.
To enhance Europe’s economic security, the EPP Group calls upon the EU to diversify its trade partners and suppliers. This objective can be achieved by advancing the ratification of free trade agreements, concluding ongoing negotiations, and reducing dependence on critical raw materials through strategic cooperation with reliable partners globally.
Furthermore, the paper highlights the need to address circumvention of EU trade defence measures, including transhipment, rerouting, and inadequate traceability. It also advocates for a coordinated response to economic coercion, emphasising the need for mutual support and collaborative countermeasures among Member States.
“China remains an important trading partner, but the EU must be prepared to act when unfair practices put European businesses at a disadvantage. Europe cannot afford to depend too heavily on a single supplier for strategic technologies and critical materials. We need to diversify our supply chains and open new markets for European exporters,” said MEP Jörgen Warborn, the EPP Group’s spokesman on international trade.
