Frankfurt, 19 June 2026 – Commenting on the discussion regarding a new policy on China at the EU summit, VDMA Executive Director Thilo Brodtmann says:

• “We would have liked to see the EU agree clearly and unequivocally on a unified policy line in its dealings with China. The OECD has shown that China subsidises its companies up to eight times more than other OECD countries and that 60 per cent of China’s global market share gains are attributable to this. The EU must finally take a firm stance on this and respond effectively and in a united manner.”

• “Recent years have shown that the EU’s trade defence instruments are insufficient. They are too piecemeal, too slow and too costly for the European companies affected. As a result, EU trade policy has been unable to prevent the loss of European industrial jobs due to unfair Chinese competition. This must change quickly.”

• “However, the EU must not overshoot the mark. This is not about closing off the European market. Europe will continue to benefit from free markets in the future and should therefore remain open to all those countries that, for their part, open up their own markets.”

The VDMA represents 3,500 German and European companies in the mechanical and plant engineering sector. The industry stands for innovation, export orientation and small and medium-sized enterprises. The companies employ a total of around 3 million people across the EU-27, more than 1.2 million of whom are in Germany alone. This makes mechanical and plant engineering the largest employer among capital goods industries, both in the EU-27 and in Germany. It accounts for an estimated turnover of around 900 billion euros in the European Union. Around 80 per cent of the machinery sold in the EU originates from a manufacturing facility within the single market.