China's commerce body urges EU to reconsider restrictions on medical devices

Turning policy instruments into outright trade barriers would not only harm interests of China and the European Union but also weaken global confidence in economic recovery and sustainable growth, said China Chamber of Commerce to the EU on Tuesday.

This move followed media reports that EU member states have recently approved restrictive measures under the International Procurement Instrument, which will limit Chinese companies' access to public procurement tenders for medical devices worth more than 5 million euros ($5.7 million) over a five-year period.

The CCCEU urged the EU to reconsider the necessity and long-term implications of its restrictive measures under the IPI, according to a statement released by the Brussels-based chamber on Tuesday.

The CCCEU represents more than 100 members and chambers in EU member states, covering over 1,000 Chinese companies, including Bank of China (Luxembourg) SA and China Three Gorges (Europe) SA.

"The CCCEU expresses profound disappointment over this decision and serious concerns about the EU's move to limit Chinese companies' participation in the EU procurement market, particularly in the healthcare sector," said the statement, pointing out that the IPI is a unilateral instrument introduced by the EU.

Its targeted application against Chinese businesses sends a troubling signal - not only adding new complexity to China-EU economic and trade relations, but also contradicting the EU's stated principles of openness, fairness and non-discrimination in market access, said the Chinese chamber.

The CCCEU stressed that it is important to underscore that any pursuit of "market reciprocity" must be based on an accurate understanding of historical and practical realities.

For years, European medical device companies have enjoyed significant access to the Chinese market, playing a key role in supporting the modernization of China's healthcare system and achieving substantial growth.

The EU's decision fails to acknowledge this context and undermines the spirit of balanced engagement and mutual benefit, said the statement.

As global trade faces considerable uncertainty and certain countries are resorting to unilateral tariff measures that disrupt global market order, the CCCEU emphasized that China and the EU — as two major global economies — should jointly uphold free trade and multilateral cooperation, instead of introducing unilateral restrictions that escalate tensions.