Asger Risom
Brussels cracks down on Beijing’s discrimination as it pushes for equal market access
In a bold move aimed at protecting its domestic industry and ensuring fair competition, the European Commission has announced new restrictions on public procurement of medical devices.
The decision targets Chinese companies and sets a precedent in the EU’s growing efforts to respond decisively to unequal trade practices without disrupting the vital supply chains that underpin public health systems.
The European Commission has taken the unprecedented step of banning Chinese companies from bidding on large public procurement contracts for medical devices across the EU, in a move aimed at addressing what officials say are years of discriminatory practices by Beijing.
What’s changing?
Under the new rules, Chinese firms will be excluded from tenders exceeding €5 million, and bids involving more than 50% Chinese components will also be disqualified.
The decision follows the EU’s first investigation under the International Procurement Instrument (IPI), a mechanism designed to ensure reciprocity in global procurement markets.
Why now?
According to Digi24, the Commission’s move is a response to what it describes as “longstanding and repeated discriminatory measures” by China, which has systematically excluded EU-made medical devices from its own government contracts.
A 2025 Commission report found that 87% of public tenders for medical devices in China involved policies or practices that barred or disadvantaged European products and suppliers. The report cited significant legal and administrative barriers imposed by Chinese authorities.
Pushing for “constructive and fair” solutions
EU officials say they have raised these concerns with Beijing repeatedly but received no meaningful commitments in return.
The Commission emphasized it remains open to dialogue and could suspend the restrictions if China offers “concrete, verifiable and satisfactory” changes to its procurement regime.
Although the EU’s public procurement market — worth over €11 trillion annually — is one of the world’s most open, the decision signals a tougher stance from Brussels, particularly as Chinese exports of medical devices to Europe have more than doubled between 2015 and 2023.
The Commission insists the measures align with international trade rules, including those of the World Trade Organization, and include exemptions where no alternative suppliers exist within the EU.