Almost a quarter of the EU’s imports are increasing at a pace the European Commission describes as concerning. China is the main driver behind the development, the Commission’s trade official Denis Redonnet says, according to Reuters.
The sharp increase in imports is seen, among other areas, in machinery, textiles, base metals and chemicals. The EU had a trade deficit with China of EUR 360 billion in 2025.
The development has also led to more calls for trade defense measures. The European Commission opened 32 new cases in 2025, compared with a historical annual average of 12. So far in 2026, 27 new cases have been initiated, the news agency writes.
