Medical devices
(BRUSSELS) – The European Commission launched an investigation Wednesday into the way China procures medical devices and could be discriminating unfairly against European companies and products.
The EU public procurement market is seen as one of the largest and most accessible in the world. For their part, Chinese exports of medical devices to Europe experienced a surge of more than 100% between 2015 and 2023.
Evidence gathered by the Commission indicates that China’s procurement market for medical devices has gradually become more closed for European and foreign firms, as well as for products made in the EU.
This, it says, is due to measures introduced by China that unfairly differentiate between local and foreign companies, and between locally produced and imported medical devices.
“We are launching this investigation with China so that we can achieve a level playing field in our procurement markets for producers of medical devices, on both sides,” said EC vice-president Valdis Dombrovskis.
The Commission says that having previously raised its concerns directly and repeatedly with Chinese authorities, and in the absence of satisfactory replies or actions, it has now decided to address this issue through the Regulation pursuant to its new The International Procurement Instrument (IPI).
The first aim of an IPI investigation is to foster dialogue between competent authorities on removing discrimination in public procurement, for the benefit of all. Only if dialogue fails to deliver an equitable agreement will the Commission consider imposing IPI measures.
The Commission says the investigation into Chinese public procurement for medical devices will follow this approach, aiming to ‘rebalance the EU-China trade relationship’, promoting open and fair access to both European and Chinese public procurement markets.
The EU executive will now invite the Chinese authorities to submit their views, provide relevant information, and open a consultation with an aim to eliminate the discriminatory measures.
International Procurement Instrument
