Published by Global Banking and Finance Review
Posted on October 22, 2025
1 min readLast updated: January 21, 2026
The EU is considering countermeasures against China's rare earth export curbs, with discussions ongoing and coordination with G7 partners.
BERLIN (Reuters) -The EU's top economic official said the European Commission was considering countermeasures in response to Chinese curbs on rare earth exports, according to an interview with Handelsblatt published on Wednesday.
"We are examining possible countermeasures if conditions do not improve. We have not yet named any specific instruments, but the discussion is ongoing," EU economy commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis told the German newspaper.
"We are also coordinating this with international partners - for example at the G7 finance ministers' meeting in Washington, where I have just been," he added.
Despite an agreement in July aimed at fast-tracking shipments to Europe, China has maintained tight control over rare earth exports and earlier this month announced expanded curbs.
The EU's trade chief Maros Sefcovic said on Tuesday he was due to meet Chinese authorities in the coming days to find "urgent" rare earth exports solutions.
(Reporting by Rachel More; Editing by Alex Richardson)
Rare earth exports refer to the trade of a group of 17 chemical elements used in various high-tech applications, including electronics, renewable energy technologies, and military equipment.
The European Commission is the executive branch of the European Union responsible for proposing legislation, implementing decisions, and managing the day-to-day operations of the EU.
Countermeasures in trade are actions taken by a country in response to unfair trade practices or policies from another country, often involving tariffs or trade restrictions.
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