Key facts
- EU lawmakers are visiting China from October 27-29.
- A senior MEP called for a comprehensive trade deal with China.
- The EU ran a trade deficit of around €1 billion a day with China.
- China agreed to halve its hybrid car exports to the EU over four years.
European Union lawmakers are advocating for a renewed and broader trade agreement with China, aiming to revive elements of a stalled investment pact and address what they describe as unfair trade practices. The call comes as a delegation of 12 Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) prepares to visit Beijing from October 27 to 29.
Bernd Lange, chair of the Parliament's Trade Committee, stated that negotiations should be comprehensive and include investments, suggesting a review of the previously negotiated Comprehensive Agreement on Investment (CAI). The CAI's ratification was frozen by the European Parliament in 2021 following Chinese sanctions over human rights concerns.
This push for a wider deal follows a recent agreement where China committed to reducing its hybrid car exports to the EU by half over four years, with annual quotas set at 350,000 vehicles. However, some lawmakers, like Pascal Canfin, argue that the EU must look beyond individual sectors and tackle overarching unfair trade practices that threaten European industries.