The trade deficit between the EU and China is growing unsustainably.

Omissions

• The term 'unsustainably' is a subjective economic and political judgment, not a verifiable factual claim. Economists disagree on what level of trade deficit is 'unsustainable,' and the EU runs an overall trade surplus with the rest of the world — €130 billion in goods in 2025.
• The year-on-year growth rate of the deficit in 2025 (2.7%) was relatively moderate compared to the sharp widening seen between 2020 and 2022 when the deficit nearly tripled.
• The MEP made the claim on 2026-06-17. The most recent Eurostat quarterly data available at that time (Q1 2026) confirmed the deficit was worsening, supporting the 'growing' characterization.

Sources

• PrimaryEurostat — Statistics Explained: EU trade with China — latest developmentsSince exports decreased in this period, the EU trade deficit in goods with China worsened from €65 billion in Q1 2024 to €98 billion in Q1 2026.
• PrimaryEurostat — News article: Trade in goods with China in 2025In 2025, the EU exported €199.6 billion worth of goods to China and imported €559.4 billion, resulting in a trade deficit of €359.8 billion.
• PrimaryEuropean Commission — EU trade relations with ChinaThe EU has long had a trade deficit in goods with China. It increased by 2.7% year-on-year in 2025, amounting to €359.9 billion last year and surpassing the previous record.
• SecondaryPolitico — Europe's China shock worsens as trade deficit widensThe EU's trade deficit in goods with China widened to €359.3 billion in 2025, up from approximately €350 billion in 2024, according to data published by Eurostat.