For the first time, Chinese car exports to the European Union exceed European car exports to China.

Omissions

• The reversal occurred in the full-year 2025 data, published in early 2026 — the MEP could have known these figures at the 2026-07-07 session.
• Sources measure the turnaround slightly differently: some use the value of 'cars and auto parts' (newmobility.news, EY analysis), others the number of 'new vehicles' in units (ACEA: 1,105,806 imported vs. falling EU exports to China). All converge on the same fact: for 2025, Chinese car imports to the EU exceeded EU car exports to China for the first time.
• The reversal occurred despite EU anti-subsidy tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles introduced in late 2024; Chinese car exports to Europe still rose about 26% between 2024 and 2025 to almost 1.2 million vehicles (Atlantic Council).

Sources

• SecondaryNewmobility.newsIn 2025, for the first time on record, the value of cars and auto parts shipped from China into the European Union exceeded what the EU exported to China.
• SecondaryACEA (European Automobile Manufacturers' Association) — Fact sheet: EU-China vehicle trade1,105,806 new vehicles were imported into the EU from China in 2025, valuing €15.1 billion; 1,002,742 Chinese-made cars were imported into the EU. China is now the fifth largest market for EU new vehicle exports; in terms of value, China accounted for 5% of the EU export market in 2025.
• SecondaryYahoo Finance (analysis by consultancy EY)EU car imports from China overtake EU exports to China for the first time, according to an analysis by consultancy EY.
• SecondaryLogos-Press (Moldova)The volume of car imports from China to the European Union for the first time exceeded EU supplies to China; EU exports of cars and components to China fell 34% to €16 billion in 2025.
• SecondaryAtlantic CouncilChinese car exports to Europe rose 26 percent between 2024 and 2025, to almost 1.2 million vehicles, despite tariffs introduced.