EU contemplates stopping China’s access to medical device procurement

(MENAFN) The European Union is reportedly weighing restrictions on Chinese medical device manufacturers' access to public procurement contracts across the bloc, according to Bloomberg, which cited a source familiar with the matter.

The move would be a response to what Brussels views as China’s unfair trade practices, particularly regarding limited access for EU companies to China’s medical device market. The European Commission (EC) has previously accused Beijing of restricting European suppliers from participating in Chinese procurement tenders.

This development comes amid escalating trade tensions between the two powers. In a related dispute, China recently extended its anti-dumping investigation into EU brandy imports—a measure taken in retaliation to the EU's earlier probe into Chinese trade behavior.

EU member states are expected to vote on the proposed restrictions on June 2. If approved, the measure would be the first application of the bloc’s International Procurement Instrument (IPI), adopted in 2022. The IPI allows the EC to impose limitations ranging from score penalties in tenders to outright bans on foreign companies bidding for public contracts, in order to ensure balanced market access.

The news emerges just before a meeting between the EU’s Maros Sefcovic and China’s Wang Wentao, set to take place during the OECD ministerial summit in Paris. Should the restrictions be enacted, they may deepen trade rifts between the EU and China, adding to both parties' ongoing disputes with the United States.

MENAFN03062025000045015687ID1109629508