The European Union is intensifying discussions with China over its growing goods-trade deficit as EU Trade Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič travels to Beijing for the second round of EU-China Trade and Investment Consultations.
Šefčovič is scheduled to meet Chinese Commerce Minister Wang Wentao on October 8 and 9. The European Commission said the meetings will provide an opportunity to review progress since the first round of consultations held in June.
Editorial Insight
Key Highlights
Important points readers should notice.
EU Trade Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič is travelling to Beijing for trade consultations.
The latest meetings are scheduled for October 8 and 9.
Chinese Commerce Minister Wang Wentao is expected to hold discussions with Šefčovič.
The EU is seeking progress on its growing goods-trade imbalance with China.
Eurostat recorded a 103-billion-euro EU goods deficit with China in Q2 2026.
Market access and trade rebalancing are central issues in the consultations.
Trade imbalances are a central issue in the discussions. The EU has been seeking greater balance in its economic relationship with China, including improved market access for European companies.
According to Eurostat, the EU's goods trade deficit with China reached 103 billion euros in the second quarter of 2026, the highest quarterly deficit since the third quarter of 2022. EU imports from China reached 154 billion euros during the quarter, while exports to China were considerably lower.
The European Commission has also highlighted concerns about the rapid increase in Chinese exports to the European market. Machinery, electrical equipment, chemicals and vehicles are among the major product groups involved in EU-China goods trade.
Editorial Analysis
Why This Matters
The EU and China are two of the world's largest trading powers. Changes in their trade relationship could affect manufacturers, exporters, supply chains and investment decisions across global markets. For European businesses, improved access to the Chinese market could create additional opportunities, while changes in Chinese exports to Europe could affect competition in several industrial sectors. The outcome could also influence wider global trade discussions at a time when major economies are reassessing supply-chain dependence and trade imbalances.
The Beijing meetings follow an agreement reached in June to intensify dialogue on trade and investment. The two sides identified areas including rebalancing trade and investment, export controls, intellectual property rights and reform of the World Trade Organization as part of the consultation process.
The outcome of the latest discussions could help shape the EU's approach to its economic relationship with China ahead of an October meeting of European Union leaders, where China trade relations are expected to remain an important issue.
