EU trade chief Maroš Šefčovič flies to China for crunch talks to curb cheap hybrid car imports flooding Europe

From the Newshound archive · first published 7 October 2026.

EU trade commissioner Maroš Šefčovič is travelling to China with his team for two days of negotiations aimed at sealing a deal on Beijing's record £1bn-a-day trade surplus with Europe. The talks, starting Thursday and running late into Friday, focus on a "proof of concept" pilot agreement covering cheap hybrid electric cars that could be scaled up to other sectors. The EU is pushing for China to agree to cap hybrid exports voluntarily before EU leaders convene in Brussels next Thursday, where China tops the agenda. Beijing separately warned Britain of its "serious concern" over the UK's own EV tariff plans.

The hybrid surge came after the EU slapped tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles in October 2024, with Beijing simply pivoting to untaxed hybrids to sidestep the barriers.

Negotiators reportedly hope to achieve "tangible, meaningful and measurable" results, with the option of quotas on the table if China refuses voluntary export curbs.

Beijing's warning to Britain signals China is fighting back on multiple fronts as Europe hardens its demands for protection from cheap Chinese imports.