MIL-OSI Europe: Written question – Are our future trade relations with China dependent on its ties to Russia? – E-001983/2024

Question for written answer  E-001983/2024
to the Commission
Rule 144
Mathilde Androuët (PfE)

Beijing has lodged a complaint with the World Trade Organization against the EU’s customs duties for Chinese car manufacturers following an anti-subsidy investigation.

By way of appeasement, the Commission announced on 20 August 2024 that the duties could be lowered[1]. The Commission is also concerned about the threat of countermeasures on EU brandy[2], and China’s anti-dumping investigations into EU pork and dairy exports, which it ‘will challenge vigorously in all available venues’[3].

On 13 September 2024, Josep Borrell, Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, explained that ‘the Union is determined to continue to trade with China’ and to ‘avoid a trade war’, but that ‘future relations with China will also depend on how it behaves with regard to the Ukrainian conflict’, as ‘our greatest concern and geopolitical threat is Russia’[4].

In the Commission’s view, will the scope and volume of our trade with China, and the activation of mechanisms to protect our industries, depend in future on Beijing hypothetically distancing itself from Moscow?

Submitted: 8.10.2024

• [1] ‘EU lowers tariffs on China-made EVs, signals softening trade stance’, Thomas Moller‑Nielsen, Euractiv, 21 August 2024.
• [2] ‘China holds off on EU brandy tariffs but alleges dumping and damage’, Sofia Sanchez Manzanaro, Euractiv, 29 August 2024.
• [3] ‘L’UE saisit l’OMC contre une enquête chinoise visant ses produits laitiers’ (L’Opinion with AFP), 23 September 2024.
• [4] ‘Borrell: riformare l’Unione è difficile ma inevitabile’, Euractiv Italia, 13 September 2024, https://euractiv.it/section/mondo/interview/borrell-riformare-lunione-e-difficile-ma-inevitabile/.