European Union tightens trade measures against China and Asian imports

The European Union is intensifying its trade confrontation with China and other Asian exporters. France and Germany have aligned their positions and plan to present a joint trade‑defence roadmap in September, urging the EU to act faster on issues such as industrial subsidies, market access and supply‑chain security. Beijing and Brussels have exchanged views on anti‑subsidy duties for Chinese electric vehicles, ranging from 7.8% to 35.3%, and on restrictions that bar Chinese firms from EU public procurement contracts above €5 million for medical devices.

In parallel, the EU introduced a €3 fee on low‑value e‑commerce parcels from outside the bloc, ending a customs exemption that had allowed platforms such as Shein, Temu and AliExpress to ship billions of inexpensive items to European consumers. The measure follows a surge to almost 5.9 billion parcels last year. France is also moving ahead with legislation targeting ultra‑fast‑fashion operators, proposing fines, a ban on advertising and influencer marketing, and it saw the abrupt end of Shein’s short‑lived Paris store after seven months.

EU‑China trade data illustrate the scale of the dispute: the bloc’s goods trade deficit with China is projected to reach €3.6 trillion in 2025, with imports of €5.595 trillion and exports of €1.995 trillion.