MERICS Breakfast Briefing: Reading the tea leaves of EU-China relations under the new Commission

On October 17, 2024,  the Brussels Office of MERICS held a closed-door flash briefing on a key issue driving EU-China relations. The one-hour event brought together a group of selected officials, policymakers, and experts, as well as representatives of selected foreign missions and organizations, for a briefing from MERICS analysts followed by a confidential discussion.

The structure of the second von der Leyen Commission has been revealed, with portfolios awaiting Parliament’s approval. These appointments will be instrumental in shaping the EU’s complex China agenda over the next five years. The MERICS Brussels team assessed the China background and potential influence of the new leadership on EU-China relations. We also analyzed how China is likely to respond to this agenda, including signals following the recent approval of EV tariffs by the European Council and the new Ambassadorial appointments. 

Speakers: 
Grzegorz Stec, Head of the Brussels office, MERICS 
François Chimits, Senior Economist, MERICS