Full Breakdown
EU Warns of Rapid Rise in Chinese Imports
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Event: Surge in Chinese-Origin Imports
On October 1, European Commission chief trade enforcement officer Denis Redonnet told the European Parliament’s trade committee that import growth rates for almost 25 percent of all EU imports are “worrying.” He identified machinery, textiles, basic metals and chemicals as the sectors most affected, and said Chinese-origin goods are the primary driver of the increase.
Background & Context: Trade Imbalance with China
The Commission has highlighted a widening EU-China trade deficit, estimating it at €360 billion in 2025.
Data & Statistics
- Total EU imports in 2025: €2.53 trillion.
- Imports from China in 2025: €571 billion (about 22 percent of total EU imports).
- Trade-defence investigations launched by the Commission: 32 new cases in 2025 (just below the 2024 record of 33) versus a historical average of 12 per year.
- Sector focus: more than one-third of the 2025 investigations involve chemicals.
- New investigations in 2026: 27 cases opened to date.
Official Statements & Responses
Redonnet emphasized that the import surveillance “barometer results” reveal “potentially worrying trends” for a substantial share of EU trade. He noted that the surge has spurred a sharp rise in industry requests for trade-defence measures and that the Commission is intensifying talks with Beijing to address the deficit. The Commission’s aim is to negotiate mechanisms that could curb the rapid inflow of Chinese goods while protecting vulnerable EU sectors.
Verbatim Quotes
- “It is of serious concern that the import surveillance or barometer results... show potentially worrying trends ?for almost a quarter of all imports into the EU at the moment,” — Thursday. Denis Redonnet