EU lawmakers visit China to tackle trade and digital market fairness
A delegation from the European Parliament will travel to China this week for the first time in eight years. Led by Anna Cavazzini, chair of the Internal Market and Consumer Protection committee, the group will visit Beijing and Shanghai to discuss trade, digital regulations, and market fairness with Chinese officials and major e-commerce firms. The nine-member delegation includes lawmakers from different political groups, such as Andreas Schwab, Christel Schaldemose, and Virginie Joron. Their trip follows calls from the European Commission for Beijing to address what it describes as 'distortive economic practices' affecting EU businesses.
In Beijing, the group will meet with Chinese authorities and the EU Chamber of Commerce. Discussions will focus on the obstacles European companies face in accessing China's online market. The delegation will then travel to Shanghai for talks with e-commerce platforms Temu, Shein, and Alibaba. Key topics include compliance with EU digital market rules, fair competition, and consumer safety standards. The visit also aims to give lawmakers a closer look at China's tech innovation and how EU regulations are applied in practice. The European Commission has not acted on German Chancellor Friedrich Merz's proposal for a new EU-China trade deal.
The delegation's meetings will cover digital trade, product safety, and market access for European firms. Their findings could shape future EU policies on China's e-commerce sector. No new trade agreements or regulatory actions have been announced ahead of the visit.
