EU spends three times more on imports from China than bloc exports there

Study shows trade deficit ran at more than €1bn a day in July, days before Xi Jinping’s summit with Donald Trump

Lisa O’Carroll

Published Sep 22, 2026

EU spends three times more on imports from China than bloc exports there

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Consumers and businesses in the EU are spending three times more on Chinese imports than their counterparts in China are buying from the bloc, a study has shown.

Customs data showed the gap between the EU’s imports from China and exports to China, the trade deficit, ran at more than €1bn (£860m) a day in July.

Source: The Guardian ↗

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EU spends three times more on imports from China than bloc exports there

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