The Ministry of Commerce of China File photo: VCG

China on Thursday expressed serious concerns about the European Commission's draft legislation for the Public Procurement Act, and urged the EU to amend discriminatory clauses in the draft law to create a fair, transparent and non-discriminatory business environment, a spokesperson for China's Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) said at a regular press briefing. 

Spokesperson He Yadong said China has taken note of the European Commission's legislative proposal on public procurement, which includes discriminatory clauses and allegedly seeks to exclude or restrict non-EU companies that do not meet certain requirements.

He noted that since the beginning of this year, the EU has successively introduced amendments to the Cybersecurity Act, the Industrial Accelerator Act, and the Public Procurement Act. The bloc has, under the banner of cybersecurity and industrial development, been pursuing protectionist policies, repeatedly introducing discriminatory provisions and continuously tightening market access conditions.

China urges the EU to abide by the WTO rules, keep its market open and amend discriminatory clauses in the draft law to create a fair, transparent and non-discriminatory business environment for enterprises investing and operating in Europe, said the spokesperson.

China will closely follow the EU's legislative process and assess any related impact in a timely manner, He added.


Global Times