France is urging stronger EU tariffs to address Chinese industrial overcapacity. At the Aix-en-Provence Economic Conference, Finance Minister Eric Lombard highlighted that China’s dominance—building over half of global production capacity across several sectors—poses a serious threat to Europe’s manufacturing base.
He argued that current trade defenses, like antidumping duties on steel and electric vehicles, are too narrow and slow to react. Instead, he advocated for broader and faster trade instruments to shield European industries from subsidized imports that distort competition.
Industry Minister Marc Ferracci added that many Chinese goods formerly exported to the US are now being diverted to Europe due to American restrictions. This shift risks flooding EU markets and undermining local producers.
