France and Germany ask the EU for a faster trade weapon
Macron and Merz want Brussels to be able to cut off access to its market within days. Beijing replied that the EU should not be pushed toward protectionism.
French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz sent a letter on Monday to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, along with a set of proposals. They want a trade instrument that would let Brussels act within days against unfair competition, up to cutting off access to the single market if needed, according to AFP.
Neither the letter nor the document names China. According to Euronews, the text asks that the tool be "country agnostic," meaning it would not target a specific country, and that it cover anything from a single product line to an entire sector, from subsidies to currency manipulation. The two leaders list the auto, chemical, industrial machinery, aerospace and pharmaceutical industries among those hit.
The proposal changes how the decision is made. Under a reverse qualified majority, a measure would go ahead unless a weighted majority of the 27 member states blocks it, instead of requiring their prior approval.
Beijing answered on Tuesday. China's Commerce Ministry asked France and Germany not to encourage the EU to use protectionist tools "at every turn." Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said he expects both countries to uphold openness, cooperation and free trade.
The backdrop is the trade deficit. Brussels calls its trade relationship with China unsustainable and, according to Euronews, the EU's deficit reached about 1,000 million euros a day in 2025.
The letter arrives days before EU Trade Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič travels to Beijing to discuss trade frictions. Paris and Berlin want to take the matter to the next EU leaders' summit, where they will push for urgent action.
