European industry body Eurometal has warned that EU manufacturing could lose 300,000 jobs in the remainder of 2026, blaming expanding competition from Chinese component makers and a record trade surplus.
Key facts
- Eurometal predicts 300,000 EU manufacturing job losses in the rest of 2026.
- The trade body attributes the losses to expanding competition from Chinese component manufacturers.
- China is reported to be enjoying a record €1bn-a-day trade surplus with the EU.
- A protest using 10 coffins to symbolise the struggling manufacturing sector is planned in Brussels.
Job losses across EU manufacturing will rapidly increase unless Brussels acts to stop the “colonisation” of industry by Chinese component manufacturers, a leading industry trade body has warned, according to the Guardian.
Eurometal, the trade body issuing the warning, predicts 300,000 job losses in manufacturing during the rest of 2026. It links the anticipated cuts to expanding competition from China, which it says is undercutting European producers.
The warning comes as China is reported to be enjoying a record trade surplus with the bloc of €1bn a day, a figure the industry group cites as evidence of the growing imbalance between the two economies.
To draw attention to the plight of the sector, a protest is planned in Brussels using 10 coffins to symbolise the struggling manufacturing industry, the Guardian reported.
The trade body is urging European policymakers to intervene, framing the pressure from Chinese component manufacturers as a threat that could deepen unless action is taken.
The Guardian did not detail which specific measures Eurometal is seeking, but the intervention adds to mounting concern within European industry about the competitiveness of the bloc’s factories against Chinese rivals.
Why it matters
Manufacturing remains a major source of employment across the EU, and warnings of large-scale job losses feed directly into debates over trade policy and Europe's economic competitiveness. How Brussels responds to pressure from Chinese producers could shape both industrial jobs and relations with China.
Frequently asked questions
How many EU manufacturing jobs could be lost?
Eurometal predicts 300,000 job losses in EU manufacturing during the rest of 2026, according to the Guardian.
Why does the industry body blame China?
The trade body cites expanding competition from Chinese component manufacturers and a record €1bn-a-day trade surplus that China is said to be enjoying with the EU.
What protest is planned?
A protest using 10 coffins to symbolise the struggling manufacturing industry is set to take place in Brussels, according to the Guardian.