How the EU wants to push back China’s influence

Brussels The EU Commission is resisting China’s growing influence on industrial standards. In the case of standards that are declared binding throughout Europe, non-European companies should in future have much less influence than was previously the case.

Chinese companies are becoming increasingly involved in standardization processes and are supported by the state. In addition, Beijing’s Silk Road initiative is spreading its own standards around the world, which makes market access more difficult for European companies. China wants to become a leader in standardization and thus expand its influence on the global economy.

It’s a little-noticed field in the struggle for dominance in global markets. But the topic is crucial for the German economy in particular. If European specifications are recognized worldwide, it will make exporting easier. If local companies have to adapt to Chinese standards, this leads to high development costs and fewer orders.