Maros Šefčovič, the European Union’s top trade official, said trade with China is unsustainable and could destroy entire European industries.
This warning signals a potential shift in how the EU manages its economic relationship with Beijing. The imbalance is viewed as a direct threat to the stability of European companies and the livelihoods of workers across the continent.
Šefčovič highlighted the scale of the economic gap during a recent interview. The trade deficit between the EU and China has reached roughly $1 billion per day [1]. This persistent flow of capital out of the bloc is seen as a structural risk to the region's industrial base.
"Europe’s trade with China is 'unsustainable' and could destroy entire European industries," Šefčovič said.
The EU official's comments emphasize the growing tension between the need for Chinese markets and the necessity of protecting domestic production. A narrator in the Economist report described the situation as "a one-billion-dollar-a-day deficit" [1].
European officials are now weighing how to address these imbalances without triggering a full-scale trade war. The goal is to ensure that European industries can compete on a level playing field, particularly in sectors where Chinese subsidies may provide an unfair advantage.
Šefčovič said the current trajectory puts European workers at risk. By addressing the deficit, the EU hopes to preserve its manufacturing capabilities and reduce its reliance on a single trading partner for critical goods.
“Europe’s trade with China is "unsustainable" and could destroy entire European industries.”
The EU is moving toward a more assertive trade posture, shifting from a philosophy of open cooperation to one of 'de-risking.' By quantifying the trade deficit as a daily loss, the EU is building a political and economic case for imposing tariffs or stricter trade barriers to protect its industrial sovereignty.
