Von der Leyen presses a tougher China line as the deficit hits €360bn
Every EU member now runs a deficit with Beijing; leaders weigh a 'menu' of trade measures
Summary
Around the June 2026 summit, Ursula Von Der Leyen sharpened her China warning: Chinese imports to the EU rose 45% over five years, the bloc's 2025 goods deficit with Beijing hit €360bn (~€1bn a day), and for the first time on record every EU member state ran an individual deficit with China. Leaders are weighing a "menu" of anti-China trade measures, with Belgian PM Bart De Wever and France's Emmanuel Macron hardening toward von der Leyen's earlier stance. Despite EV tariffs imposed in 2024, Chinese EV exports to Europe still rose 26% year-on-year. The push runs alongside the China blacklists MP Materials and USA Rare Earth leverage and the European Parliament clears the EU–US tariff deal under Trump's July 4 threat, sharpening the European Union's two-front trade pressure.
By the numbers
- €360bn — 2025 EU–China goods deficit (~€1bn/day).
- +45% — Chinese imports to the EU over five years.
- 27 — member states now all in deficit with China (a first).
- +26% — Chinese EV exports to Europe, year-on-year, despite tariffs.
Why it matters
The deficit figures give von der Leyen the political opening to move the bloc from rhetoric to measures, with reluctant capitals now converging on her line. But unanimity-prone trade tools and member dependence on Chinese inputs — including rare earths — limit how far Brussels can actually go.
What to watch
- Which items off the "menu" the EU actually adopts.
- Whether Macron and De Wever's shift translates into votes.
- Beijing's response, including rare-earth leverage.