EU Commission Official: China Drives Nearly a Quarter of Abnormal Import Growth into the EU
nashnova research
The EU's chief trade enforcement officer warned that nearly a quarter of EU imports show alarming growth, with China as the main driver; the bilateral goods deficit has widened to €360 billion, and new trade-defence cases are running at nearly triple the historical average.
How big is "nearly a quarter"?
Denis Redonnet, the EU's chief trade enforcement officer, told the European Parliament that close to 25% of EU imports are showing "worrying" abnormal growth.
The affected sectors span a wide range: machinery, textiles, base metals, and chemicals all show sustained anomalies.
This means → the issue is not confined to one industry — Chinese goods are pushing into the European market across multiple supply chains simultaneously.
How severe is the trade deficit?
Total EU imports in 2025 reached €2.53 trillion; imports from China alone stood at €571 billion.
The EU's goods trade deficit with China widened to €360 billion (roughly $407 billion).
In plain terms = for every €3 the EU buys from China, it sells back less than €1 — and the gap is still growing.
How is the EU responding?
The European Commission opened 32 new trade-defence investigations in 2025, nearly matching the record 33 cases set in 2024.
That figure dwarfs the prior historical average of about 12 cases per year — roughly a threefold increase.
More than a third of the new probes target the chemicals sector; another 27 cases have been opened so far in 2026.
What comes next?
The Commission is negotiating with Beijing, aiming to reach some form of Chinese export-management arrangement within the month.
This means → Brussels is running a dual-track strategy: investigations to apply pressure, talks to seek a deal.
The key watch points: whether defence cases translate into actual tariffs or restrictions, and whether EU-China talks produce concrete results.
市场有风险，内容仅供研究参考，不构成投资建议。