(Jan 2): The European Union’s (EU) carbon border levy is “unfair” and “discriminatory”, China’s Ministry of Commerce said in a statement on Thursday, vowing to take countermeasures to defend the country’s interests. The EU has published a series of legislative proposals and implementation rules regarding its Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), according to the statement, referring to Brussels’ flagship climate policy that puts a levy on emissions-intensive products coming into the bloc. The EU has assigned excessively high baseline default carbon-intensity values on Chinese products and plans to raise them over the next three years, the ministry said. “We will resolutely take all necessary measures to respond to any unfair trade restrictions” to safeguard China’s development interests and maintain global supply chain stability, said the ministry. But it has drawn criticism from trading partners over its protectionist implications, with the US pressing for “flexibilities” for its companies.

Source: The Edge Markets January 02, 2026 05:47 UTC