EU Pressured to Counter Chinese Machine Tool Exports

The Italian industrial association UCIMU has called on the European Union to tighten trade and security measures against what it describes as aggressive competition from Chinese machine tool manufacturers. Brussels is facing mounting pressure from European manufacturers, who warn of the consequences of Chinese overcapacity and heavily subsidized exports.

UCIMU representative Stefania Pigozzi said machine tools imported from China should be subject to the same strict technical and safety standards as those manufactured in the EU, arguing that compliance with these rules has a significant impact on production costs and, ultimately, on prices.

The industry's changing fortunes are reflected in global export figures. Europe accounted for 52% of global exports of metalworking machines in 2016, but its share had fallen to 46% by 2025. Over the same period, China overtook Germany to become the world's largest exporter, with its share rising from 8% to 23%.

Italy, the world's fourth-largest exporter of machine tools, also lost ground. Its global export share fell to 7.8%, while its exports to China dropped sharply from €316m ($361m) to €110m ($126m).

Italy's manufacturing and technology sector, together with industry groups across the EU, is therefore urging Brussels to take decisive action against what they describe as unfair competition.

(Reuters, Max)