EU Faces Loss of 300,000 Manufacturing Jobs by 2026 Amid Chinese Competition
A forecast by Eurometal warns that the EU could lose 300,000 manufacturing jobs by the end of 2026 due to Chinese competition, as China's trade surplus with the bloc reaches 1 billion euros a day.
European Union officials have warned of an accelerating loss of manufacturing jobs across the continent if EU institutions fail to counter the dominance of Chinese industry in the sector. According to a forecast by Eurometal, a leading body in the European manufacturing industry, 300,000 jobs are projected to be lost by the end of 2026 amid intensifying competition from China. The world's second-largest economy currently enjoys a record trade surplus with the European bloc, standing at 1 billion euros per day.
In an effort to send an unequivocal message to EU institutions, Eurometal organized a protest yesterday outside the European Commission headquarters in Brussels. During the demonstration, protesters carried ten coffins bearing the inscriptions "EU Competitiveness," "Industrial Jobs," and "European Factories."
Speaking with The Guardian, Alexander Julius, President of Eurometal, stated:
"China has not hidden its conduct. It is in their five-year plan."
He further noted that China is not interested in being a raw material supplier to the world, but rather the manufacturer of the final product. In attempts to save local industry, the European Union imposed tariffs on electric vehicles imported from China in 2024. Last June, higher tariffs were also imposed on steel imports into EU countries.
