The EU is gathering evidence to review its 2023 foreign subsidy rules, which mainly target Chinese companies benefiting from heavy state support and competing for EU contracts. The planned 2026 overhaul will examine the impact of such subsidies and the Commission’s authority to launch investigations.
The rules have already strained relations with Beijing, following EU probes into Chinese businesses in sectors ranging from trains to solar panels. In June 2025, China hit back with its own investigation, accusing Brussels of trying to obtain corporate secrets — an allegation the EU rejects.
