European Union (EU) leaders are meeting in Brussels on Thursday to discuss measures to curb rising Chinese imports, address high energy prices and resolve disagreements over the bloc’s next seven-year budget.
The summit brings together leaders of the EU’s 27 member states amid growing concerns that increasing imports from China are hurting European industries, forcing factory closures and threatening jobs.
The meeting comes less than a week after the European Commission reached an understanding with Beijing to limit imports of Chinese hybrid vehicles, marking an initial step towards addressing the bloc’s widening trade imbalance with China.
The EU’s goods trade deficit with China reached 360 billion euros in 2025 and is expected to exceed that figure this year.
Draft conclusions from the summit indicate that leaders will urge the Commission to continue dialogue with Beijing while making greater use of existing trade defence measures and developing additional instruments to protect European industries.
“These imbalances are not limited to one sector. We don’t have much time because every month that goes by, thousands of jobs are lost,” a senior EU diplomat said.
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The discussions come amid growing economic concerns across the bloc, which far-right political parties have sought to exploit during elections.
In June, EU leaders tasked the Commission with securing concrete results in trade negotiations with China by October. However, although the agreement on hybrid vehicles represents progress, concerns over imports of chemicals, steel and machinery remain unresolved.
China has rejected claims that its trade relationship with the EU is imbalanced, arguing that such concerns are being used to justify protectionism and restrictions on Chinese businesses.
Germany Changes Position on Chinese Imports
Proposals presented by France and Germany last week are expected to feature prominently in the discussions.
The two countries, the EU’s largest economies, called for urgent measures to address imports of chemicals and polyethylene terephthalate (PET), a plastic widely used in packaging.
They also proposed measures that would enable the bloc to respond swiftly to countries whose actions harm European economic interests.
An investigation into PET imports is expected to begin soon.
The proposals mark a significant shift in Germany’s position, as the country was a leading opponent of EU anti-subsidy tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles just two years ago.
The summit is scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. local time with discussions on the EU’s competitiveness, including its economic relationship with China.
Several member states have also placed rising energy prices on the agenda, with draft conclusions describing the issue as one of critical importance.
The leaders are expected to consider short-term measures to ease pressure on businesses, alongside proposals to delay the implementation of the bloc’s methane emissions rules for oil and gas imports by one year.
Another major issue is the EU’s budget for 2028 to 2034, which requires unanimous approval from member states and has historically generated disagreements between countries that contribute more to the common budget and those that receive more funding.
A special summit is scheduled for late November to seek an agreement on the proposed budget.
