European industry groups demand tougher EU trade measures against China

Forty-four European industry associations are urging the European Union to implement stronger trade measures to protect the bloc’s manufacturing base from Chinese market distortions. Representing sectors such as metals, chemicals, and automotive parts, the groups warned that state-subsidized imports and unfair competition threaten industrial survival and increase the risk of significant job losses.

Industry leaders are calling for accelerated anti-dumping investigations into Chinese electric vehicles, chemicals, and machine tools. They have also requested that the European Commission increase staffing to ensure trade defense instruments and complaints are processed more rapidly. There is growing concern regarding Europe’s critical dependence on Chinese supply chains for essential raw materials and semiconductor-grade gases.

While some leaders advocate for sector-wide investigations and new tools to curb dependence, reports suggest that any aggressive tariff war could inadvertently harm European consumers and remaining domestic factories. Meanwhile, some nations, such as the United Kingdom, are reportedly seeking to diversify trade ties with partners like India to reduce reliance on China.