EU aims to improve defences against economic threats, such as China export curbs

4/12/2025 6:38

The European Commission on Wednesday unveiled plans to boost EU resilience to threats like rare earth shortages by strengthening trade measures and adding new economic security tools.



The plans mark the culmination of Europe's slow realisation that it must act fast and across sectors to end years-long dependency on single points of origin for energy or goods. It follows several painful jolts in the form of the COVID pandemic, Russia's war in Ukraine and the impact of U.S. tariffs.



The EU executive set out what it called an "economic security doctrine" for the 27-nation bloc, which is also contending with Chinese restrictions that have choked supplies of essential rare earths and chips.



The EU wants to remain a global manufacturing leader, but risks falling behind China and the U.S. in technologies like batteries and AI.