EU trade chief returns from China with modest concessions on hybrid cars
European Commission trade commissioner Maros Sefcovic came back from Beijing after talks that yielded limited agreements, chiefly a plan to curb Chinese hybrid-vehicle exports to the EU.
After a delegation visit to Beijing, European Commission trade commissioner Maros Sefcovic announced three shared points of view with Chinese counterparts, yet warned that the dialogue remains incomplete. The only tangible result so far is an accord to reduce Chinese hybrid and plug-in hybrid car imports by more than half within four years, a move prompted by the surge in such vehicles after battery-electric cars were hit with anti-subsidy duties in 2024.
At the end of summer, hybrids accounted for one in eight cars sold in the EU, many of them Chinese-made. While the commission claims the measure could keep millions of vehicles off the single market, critics note it tackles just one sector while the EU continues to import increasing volumes of machinery, chemicals, metals, solar panels and batteries, deepening the overall trade gap. The negotiations are ongoing, and Sefcovic emphasized that a final resolution is still distant.
Why it matters
The limited deal shows how EU-China trade talks are struggling to address widening imbalances while targeting only a narrow product range.
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