EU Trade Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič travels to China this week for intensive negotiations aimed at reducing Beijing's trade surplus with Europe by restricting imports of cheap hybrid electric vehicles.
Šefčovič and his team depart Wednesday for two days of talks beginning Thursday and running into Friday. The negotiations target what the EU describes as China's record trade surplus of £1 billion per day.
The mood among EU member states has shifted toward harder demands for protection against Chinese imports, according to reporting on the talks. Hybrid electric cars represent a focal point for these discussions, as Chinese manufacturers have expanded sales of lower-cost models across European markets.
The EU has positioned tariffs and import restrictions on Chinese-made vehicles as central to rebalancing trade relations. The discussions come as European automakers face intensifying competition from Chinese producers offering vehicles at prices that undercut traditional European manufacturers.
Details of any proposed agreement remain undisclosed ahead of the negotiations. The compressed timeline, with talks scheduled through late Friday, suggests both sides face pressure to reach consensus or define the terms of continued dispute.
The trade imbalance reflects broader tensions over market access, industrial subsidies and technology transfer that have shaped EU-China economic relations. Europe has increasingly adopted protective measures against Chinese imports across sectors including green technology, steel and semiconductors.