EU to Engage China on Trade Issues, Develop New Defense Tools
Quick Look
The EU's executive branch will engage with China to address trade imbalances and develop new trade defense tools to counter Chinese industrial overcapacity and reduce overdependence on the Chinese economy.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
The EU's executive branch was instructed to engage with China on persistent trade problems and to develop new trade defense and industrial policy tools to protect EU interests and de-risk.
After a two-hour discussion, the EU’s executive branch was told to engage with China to try to fix the persistent trade problems, according to a Brussels official.
But it was also instructed “to develop and eventually complement the toolbox in the area of trade defence and industrial policy – to make sure the EU has all the instruments it needs to defend its interests and de-risk”.
The commission is now expected to prepare new tools aimed at countering Chinese industrial overcapacity and compelling European companies to diversify their supplier base, as it looks to wind down overdependence on the world’s second-largest economy in critical sectors.
It is expected that there will be a more robust use of existing tools as well, including safeguard measures, which can see tariffs and quotas slapped on entire sectors.
“Leaders agreed that the current global macroeconomic imbalances require a European response based on two pillars: European unity and dialogue with our main economic partners,” an official said, adding that “fair competition requires a level playing field”.
Open Questions
- What specific new tools will be developed?
- What is the timeline for these actions?
- How will China respond to these measures?
