Overview
- European commissioners met on Friday to debate new tools to curb a surge of Chinese goods and to secure alternative supplies of critical inputs and minerals.
- Officials discussed forcing supplier diversification, wider use of the Foreign Subsidies Regulation, faster safeguard probes and sector‑wide import quotas or tariffs to protect chemicals, metals and clean tech.
- A French‑led group of member states has pushed for stronger enforcement while Germany and other export‑focused capitals remain cautious about retaliation and access to the Chinese market.
- Beijing publicly accused the EU of using trade data selectively and warned it would take countermeasures, including possible trade probes, if broad import curbs are adopted.
- Von der Leyen plans to take the debate to the G7 in mid‑June and the European Council on June 18–19 as the Commission refines proposals that could affect jobs, supply chains and EU exporters.