ETUC: China is not a market economy, and should not enjoy the privileges

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11 January 2016 / Europe's trade union organisation, ETUC, published a press release on the risks to EU industry and jobs if China is granted MES, ahead of the College of Commissioner's orientation debate on 13 January.

China is not a market economy, and should not enjoy the privileges

On the eve of a discussion in the College of European Commissioners on giving ‘Market Economy Status’ to China, the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) underlines the risk to European industry and jobs. 

“The European Union has clear criteria for market economy status” said ETUC General Secretary Luca Visentini “and China clearly does not meet them. What’s more, it would open the EU to unlimited dumping of Chinese goods on our market which would be catastrophic for European manufacturing and jobs.”

“China has no free collective bargaining, and decisions on investment are taken centrally. It is in no way a market economy and should not enjoy the privileges of one.”  

The ETUC fears the Commission wants to give market economy status to China (which makes it more difficulty to take anti-dumping measures) in order to extract concessions from China in forthcoming negotiations on an EU-China Investment Agreement. 

The ETUC will take its concerns to the European Parliament tomorrow at the launch of an ETUC commissioned study on EU-China investment. In a foreword to the study Luca Visentini writes “The ETUC opposes the extension of Market Economy Status to China. It would be a grave mistake for the EU to bow to pressure to do so in exchange for concessions in the context of the Bilateral Investment Treaty negotiations, which could well prove illusory”.

The ETUC press release was originally posted here.

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