European Parliament heads to China after 8 years and intense lobbying from Beijing
Chair of consumer protection delegation due in China next week wants to convey ‘that our rules on product standards are to be followed’
They will meet officials, customs and port authorities, lawmakers and companies, including Shein and Temu, firms that are in the crosshairs of EU regulators.
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“We want to send a message that it is vitally important that the internal market is not overflooded with dumped or overcapacity products from China, and that our rules on product standards are to be followed, regarding the big e-commerce tsunami coming from China right now,” said Anna Cavazzini, the IMCO chairwoman who will lead the trip.
The visit opens the door to travel by members (MEPs) to China, which was halted for years under the strains of the pandemic and sanctions over human rights.
The IMCO trip will be followed in late May by the parliament’s official China delegation, led by Eroglu, which will travel to Beijing and potentially the central city of Wuhan for another round of talks with the National People’s Congress (NPC).
The European Parliament and NPC clashed over thorny issues such as Russia and Taiwan during their first official talks for seven years in Brussels in October.