EU to adopt unilateral trade measures against China amid €1bn‑a‑day deficit

The European Commission announced that it will step up unilateral protection measures against Chinese imports as the bloc faces a record trade deficit of about €1 billion per day. Deputy Director‑General for Trade Denis Redonnet told EU lawmakers that dialogue alone will not suffice and that the EU aims to protect its industrial base before an October deadline for negotiations with Beijing.

The Commission has already doubled tariffs on certain steel imports as of 1 July and launched an anti‑dumping investigation into Chinese Peking‑duck producers. It is also working on a solidarity mechanism to compensate sectors most affected by the surge of cheap Chinese goods, and is considering additional quotas, tariffs and anti‑subsidy duties across key industries such as chemicals, machine tools and electronics.

These steps signal a shift toward a more confrontational trade stance, with potential retaliation from China, and underline the EU’s effort to rebalance its trade relationship while safeguarding European manufacturers.