A group of 24 MEPs from the European People's Party has asked the European Commission to establish immediate market monitoring of tomato concentrate imports from China and to prepare trade defence measures if evidence of unfair competition emerges. In a written parliamentary question on 9 June 2026, the MEPs warn that Chinese industrial tomato production reached over 10 million tonnes in 2024, well above its long-term average, putting EU producers under price pressure and raising concerns about dumping, state subsidies, and insufficient transparency on origin. They argue that EU producers, who must comply with strict EU standards on food safety, pesticides, environmental protection and labour conditions, should not be placed at a competitive disadvantage against imports produced under weaker requirements. The question also frames the issue as a matter of food security, warning that excessive dependence on non-EU suppliers for a basic food ingredient creates a strategic vulnerability.
first, whether the Commission will establish immediate market monitoring of tomato concentrate imports from China, including detailed data on volumes, prices and origin, and assess injury to EU producers and processors; second, whether the Commission is ready to initiate without delay appropriate trade defence proceedings — anti-dumping, anti-subsidy or safeguard measures — where evidence points to unfair competition, dumping, subsidised imports or serious market disturbance, while also strengthening origin labelling and traceability.
The question reflects growing concern among EU tomato processors, particularly in southern Europe, who face rising competition from Chinese concentrate. The Commission is expected to reply within approximately six weeks; its answer will signal whether it sees grounds for action or prefers to rely on existing monitoring and voluntary industry measures. The MEPs' initiative puts pressure on the Commission to take a more proactive stance on agricultural imports from China, balancing free trade commitments with producer protection and food security considerations.