The European Commissioner for Trade, Maros Sefcovic, today considered the outcome of the talks with China to be “a crucial first step” in rebalancing trade relations, but stressed that the measures agreed are only the beginning of the process.
© Reuters
09/10/2026
by
Lusa
O european Commissioner for Trade, Maros Sefcovic, today considered the outcome of the talks with China to be a “principal first step” to rebalance trade relations, but stressed that the measures agreed are only the beginning of the process.
“It’s a crucial first step, but it’s just a first step in the rebalancing process” of trade relations, Sefcovic told the press in Beijing at the end of two days of meetings with Chinese Trade Minister Wang Wentao.
The results of the talks will be presented to the Heads of State and Government of the European Union (EU), who will meet next week in Brussels, and who will decide on the next steps, the European Commissioner added.
At its meetings on 8 and 9 October, the two parties agreed to continue to work to stabilise and to make bilateral trade relations more balanced, committing themselves to managing differences under the World Trade Organisation (WTO) rules.
The EU and China also agreed to hold the third ministerial meeting of consultations on trade and investment in March 2027, with a video conference scheduled in January.
Among the results is the continued facilitation of rare earth export licences and permanent magnets for Europe through a Chinese “green channel”.
According to Sefcovic, the mechanism should increase transparency and predictability in a supply chain essential to European industry.
The Commissioner explained that Brussels and Beijing had already developed a procedure after several critical moments last year, now seeking to make it simpler and more accessible to European companies.
Asked whether the agreement will be sufficient to prevent a trade war, Sefcovic said that the EU never spoke of trade wars, defending negotiation as a way to manage tensions with China.
In the meantime, the Association of European Automobile Manufacturers (ACEA) welcomed the announcement of a provisional agreement aimed at correcting trade imbalances, considering it a positive step forward to reduce tensions between the two parties.
The association stated, however, that it is awaiting a detailed analysis of the content of the agreement, which follows discussions aimed at reducing the entry of Chinese hybrid vehicles into the European market.