28.06.2026 – "German business community relies on constructive talks between the EU and China. What matters now is that Europe advocates its economic interests unitedly and with a clear direction. Many companies are increasingly suffering from distortions of competition, which threaten Europe as a business location. On the other hand, the demand for German and European products from the economic giant China has been unusually weak for some time now. China should work intensively on addressing this weak demand to regain more trust among European suppliers.

New trade conflicts benefit no one. Instead, the EU and China should establish a targeted mechanism to address trade and investment challenges. At the top of the agenda from the German business community's perspective should be a swift lifting of Chinese export restrictions for critical raw materials.

In terms of its own trade protection, Europe should act strategically and prudently. As many companies and sectors require rapid solutions for distortions from third-country competitors, the existing protection instruments should be further developed as a priority. Measures such as the tightened steel import restrictions or CBAM can relieve certain industries. However, it is crucial to consider the consequences for downstream value chains. The competitiveness of individual industries should not come at the expense of others.

A potential new diversification instrument should especially create positive incentives for companies rather than fueling trade conflicts.

In general, economic security is not achieved through isolation but by reducing strategic dependencies – for instance, in critical raw materials or key digital technologies – and through fair competition. For this, the swift conclusion of additional trade agreements for supply chain diversification is particularly necessary."