EU imports of China-built hybrid vehicles jumped from 3,800 units in October 2024 to 50,000 in July 2026 — a more than 13-fold rise in less than two years — as Brussels prepares safeguard measures that could cap volumes through tariff-rate quotas, according to a Bloomberg report on Wednesday.

The European Commission, which handles trade policy for the 27-nation bloc, is drafting time-limited restrictions following the import surge. Officials have not disclosed specific quota volumes, tariff levels or an implementation date, and the plans could still change before adoption.

What safeguard tool is the Commission considering?

Safeguards allow the EU to restrict products in a sector after imports rise sharply. One option under review is a tariff-rate quota, which levies duties on imports above a defined volume threshold, Bloomberg said, citing people familiar with the matter. Hybrids would serve as a test case: if the measure works, the Commission could extend it to other sectors where the bloc sees imbalances, the people said.

Where does the EU-China auto trade stand today?

The EU imposed definitive countervailing duties on China-made battery-electric vehicles in October 2024 for five years. Additional rates ranged from 7.8% to 35.3%, pushing the highest total duty to 45.3% once combined with the bloc's 10% standard tariff. Hybrids currently face no equivalent levies.

That gap has reshaped the mix of Chinese cars arriving in Europe:

• Hybrid imports from China: 3,800 (Oct 2024) → 50,000 (Jul 2026)
• Average hybrid import prices fell over the same window, per the Financial Times
• Chinese-brand share of Europe's new-car market: nearly 12% in August — a record
• Chinese brands account for roughly 1 in 3 plug-in hybrid sales in the region

What has Beijing said?

China rejected an earlier EU request for voluntary export restraints. On September 18, the Commerce Ministry said such arrangements "seriously violated World Trade Organization (WTO) rules and ran counter to market principles and fair competition," expressing "firm opposition." Any settlement, the ministry added, "must balance their interests, comply with WTO rules and their respective domestic laws, and fully take into account the interests of industries on both sides."

The Financial Times reported on September 17 that the EU had asked Beijing to voluntarily limit hybrid exports or face higher tariffs. Brussels is now preparing tools to act unilaterally if talks fail.

What happens next?

EU trade commissioner Maros Sefcovic will travel to Beijing later this week for talks with Chinese Commerce Minister Wang Wentao. The readout could reshape the safeguard design. EU leaders will discuss the broader China trade file in mid-October, and the Commission plans to publish a package of rebalancing measures by year-end, including tools to diversify supply chains.

The bloc's trade deficit with China runs above €1 billion a day, per Bloomberg — the macro backdrop driving the push. Watch for Sefcovic's readout from Beijing, the mid-October leaders' discussion, and the Commission's year-end package, which will set the trajectory for hybrids and the next sectors on the list.