EU too slow to act as China rewrites global trade rules, trade chief Sefcovic warns

South China Morning PostCenter-RightEN 1 min read 100% complete by Finbarr BerminghamFebruary 24, 2026 at 07:55 PM

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European Union trade chief Maros Sefcovic has expressed concerns about the bloc's slow response to China's growing economic influence. The EU's trade defences have been criticized for being too slow and rigid, with probes often taking over a year to complete. In 2022, the EU had a trade deficit of €360 billion with China, which Sefcovic described as "unsustainable" in the medium to long-term. He attributed this to China's state subsidies, which account for around 4% of its GDP. The European Commission is monitoring Chinese plug-in hybrid vehicles and has over 200 ongoing trade defence investigations. Sefcovic called for an overhaul of global trading rules to address "overcapacities", "unfair trade policies", and state subsidies.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Slovak 30% European Parliament 50% International Monetary Fund 50% Beijing 60% European Union ×280% Maros Sefcovic ×390% China ×490%

Keywords

eu trade policy 90% china 80% trade deficit 70% state subsidies 70% trade defence investigations 60% trade rules 60% unfair trade policies 50% overcapacities 50% sefcovic 40%