11:38 - 18.05.2026

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May 18, Fineko/abc.az. European Commissioner for Trade Maros Sefcovic is considering the introduction of "tough" duties on Chinese chemicals and equipment to protect European manufacturers from a sharp increase in imports, ABC.AZ informs, referring to the Financial Times.

At the same time, the EU is considering the measures to reduce dependence on China: Companies may be required to diversify suppliers and limit purchases from a single source to 30-40%, distributing the rest of imports among at least three suppliers from different countries. These regulations may affect key industries, including chemistry and mechanical engineering.

The initiative is seen as a response to China's export restrictions. The EU is also discussing the redistribution of steel import quotas - increasing the share for "reliable partners" and reducing it for other countries in order to increase pressure on China.

The plan is at an early stage and will be submitted to the European Commission on May 29, after which it may be submitted for discussion by EU leaders at the end of June.