On 29 June 2026, European Commissioner for Trade and Economic Security Maroš Šefčovič and Chinese Commerce Minister Wang Wentao held the inaugural meeting of the EU-China Trade and Investment Consultations (TIC) in Brussels, agreeing to establish four workstreams covering trade balancing, export controls, intellectual property rights, and WTO reform. The two sides also set up a joint monitoring mechanism to exchange trade data and manage frictions, and exchanged market access lists with a view to balancing the bilateral trade relationship through tariff or non-tariff initiatives.
The TIC is a new ministerial-level dialogue aimed at stabilising and rebalancing EU-China trade ties, which have been strained by persistent trade deficits, export control disputes, and intellectual property concerns. During the meeting, Šefčovič and Wang mandated officials to engage in the four workstreams and agreed to reconvene at ministerial level in autumn 2026. The joint monitoring mechanism is designed to improve transparency and mutual trust by sharing relevant data and monitoring trade flows. On market access, both sides discussed possible tariff or non-tariff measures and agreed to continue consultations within the trade and investment balancing workstream to address specific concerns.
In the area of export controls, the EU and China noted positive results from the existing EU-China Export Control Dialogue on rare earth elements and other critical materials, and committed to strengthening that dialogue through continued exchanges on regulatory frameworks and licensing policies, with the aim of maintaining stable global industrial supply chains. On intellectual property, the two sides acknowledged the work of the EU-China Intellectual Property Working Group and agreed to address systemic issues to enhance the efficiency, fairness, and transparency of IP protection and enforcement. Regarding the WTO, both sides underlined the need to strengthen bilateral cooperation, advance substantive WTO reform, and improve the organisation's authority and effectiveness.
the establishment of the TIC with four defined workstreams, a joint monitoring mechanism, and a commitment to exchange market access lists. These represent a shift towards a more structured and pragmatic approach in EU-China trade relations, balancing cooperation with efforts to address specific trade imbalances and frictions. The policy orientation is conciliatory but assertive, seeking practical solutions while maintaining pressure on key issues such as IPR and export controls.