German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and French President Emmanuel Macron have proposed new EU trade measures to combat unfair practices and reduce economic dependencies.
Key facts
- •The proposal was submitted as a "non-paper," an informal document intended to initiate discussion without binding the EU to a specific position.
- •A qualified majority vote to block Commission actions requires 55% of member states representing 65% of the EU population.
- •The EU is currently dependent on China for raw materials, including rare earths, and relies on the US and China for high-tech services and computing.
- •Beijing has indicated it may retaliate if it perceives the EU's plans as a threat to its interests.
- •EU Trade Commissioner Maros Sefcovic is visiting Beijing ahead of an October 15-16 summit.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and French President Emmanuel Macron sent a joint appeal to the European Commission on Monday calling for tougher EU trade measures. The leaders argued that existing tools are insufficient to address unfair trade practices and geoeconomic risks. Their proposal, submitted as a nonbinding "non-paper," suggests new mechanisms to protect the European single market from systemic distortions.
By the numbers
Proposed Trade Measures
The letter to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen proposes two primary measures. The first aims to prevent companies from becoming overly dependent on individual suppliers. The second would allow the European Commission to exclude a country from the single market on an expedited basis in extreme circumstances. Currently, such actions are complex and require lengthy approval processes. The proposal suggests reversing this by allowing the Commission to act independently, subject to a potential block by member states through a qualified majority vote.
Economic Context and Risks
The leaders highlighted concerns regarding the EU's global competitiveness, noting dependencies on raw materials and high-tech imports from countries like China and the US. The EU reported a trade deficit with China of approximately €360 billion in 2025, while Chinese statistics placed the figure at $292 billion. While the appeal does not name specific countries, it addresses systemic market-distorting practices and the instrumentalization of trade. EU Trade Commissioner Maros Sefcovic is scheduled to visit Beijing this week for talks ahead of an EU leaders' summit on October 15-16.
Timeline
- MondayMerz and Macron submitted a joint appeal to the European Commission.
- This weekEU Trade Commissioner Maros Sefcovic is scheduled to visit Beijing.
- October 15-16EU leaders are scheduled to hold a summit.
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This article was independently rewritten by ManyPress editorial AI from reporting originally published by Deutsche Welle Business.
