The EU has decided to restrict imports of 
medical devices in retaliation for Beijing’s discrimination against foreign manufacturers in bids for public contracts.
The vote by member states will require public authorities to exclude bidders from contracts worth more than €5 million for the next 5 years.
Chinese policies force hospitals to choose domestic suppliers. 87% of contracts contain “direct and indirect discrimination”, including prohibiting imported medical devices.
It is the first use of new EU legislation — the International Procurement Instrument — which was adopted in 2022 with the aim of helping force open overseas procurement markets.
EU imports of Chinese devices doubled between 2015 and 2023. EU countries bought €5.2B of Chinese medical devices in 2024, from MRI scanners to syringes.
High-performance medical devices were among 10 core industries in Beijing’s “Made in China 2025” strategy. China has also set targets for the share of domestically produced medical devices bought by the country’s hospitals — 70% by 2025 and 95% by 2030.
The China Chamber of Commerce to the EU: “The IPI is a unilateral instrument introduced by the EU. Its targeted application against Chinese enterprises sends a troubling signal — not only adding new complexity to China-EU economic and trade relations, but also contradicting the EU’s stated principles of openness, fairness, and non-discrimination in market access.” 
EU must open its market to Chinese medical devices while China will prohibit or at least restrict imported products.
ft.com/content/ef8222
medical devices in retaliation for Beijing’s discrimination against foreign manufacturers in bids for public contracts.
The vote by member states will require public authorities to exclude bidders from contracts worth more than €5 million for the next 5 years.
Chinese policies force hospitals to choose domestic suppliers. 87% of contracts contain “direct and indirect discrimination”, including prohibiting imported medical devices.
It is the first use of new EU legislation — the International Procurement Instrument — which was adopted in 2022 with the aim of helping force open overseas procurement markets.
EU imports of Chinese devices doubled between 2015 and 2023. EU countries bought €5.2B of Chinese medical devices in 2024, from MRI scanners to syringes.
High-performance medical devices were among 10 core industries in Beijing’s “Made in China 2025” strategy. China has also set targets for the share of domestically produced medical devices bought by the country’s hospitals — 70% by 2025 and 95% by 2030.
The China Chamber of Commerce to the EU: “The IPI is a unilateral instrument introduced by the EU. Its targeted application against Chinese enterprises sends a troubling signal — not only adding new complexity to China-EU economic and trade relations, but also contradicting the EU’s stated principles of openness, fairness, and non-discrimination in market access.” EU must open its market to Chinese medical devices while China will prohibit or at least restrict imported products.
ft.com/content/ef8222