New EU Safeguards on Chinese Imports from 2027: What Textile Importers Need to Know at the End of October

Two weeks after the EU summit, it is becoming clearer how Brussels intends to respond to import pressure from China. What was discussed at the summit is covered in our article on the EU summit in October. Here we summarise what has been added since then and look at freight rates. Status as of 29 October 2026.

What the EU is planning

According to a Bloomberg report, the EU wants to use safeguard measures to limit imports from China in several sectors, including chemicals, furniture and machinery. Fixed volume caps or tariffs are possible. The measures could be presented at the earliest in the first quarter of 2027 (Bloomberg via BusinessMirror, 26.10.2026). The report is based on people familiar with the plans. The Commission itself has not commented.

Three points from the report matter for importers. First, the EU can introduce such measures without Beijing's consent. Second, they are meant to comply with WTO rules and would therefore also apply to other countries outside the European Economic Area, not only to China. Third, the plans and the sectors concerned may still change after talks with the member states and with China.

Other steps are running in parallel. The cap on Chinese hybrid cars from the Beijing agreement is due to enter into force in December: 350,000 vehicles a year for four years, with the quota rising by 6 percent a year after the first year. By mid-December the Commission also wants to present an instrument for diversifying supply chains and a rapid-response instrument. In early 2027, Trade Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič plans to take stock with the Chinese side.

On 15 and 16 October the European Council decided to strengthen trade defence instruments towards China and to reduce dependencies in supply chains (MERICS, 22.10.2026). French President Macron called for measures on chemicals, plastics and ferro-alloys.

Are textiles affected?

As things stand, no. None of the reports we have reviewed names textiles or apparel as a target of the planned safeguards. Regular EU duty rates continue to apply to clothing from China, for example 12 percent for a cotton T-shirt under HS code 6109 10 (zolltarifnummer.com, updated 16.07.2026).

We cannot give the all-clear, though. In early October the Commission counted textiles among the sectors with "sustained and abnormal import growth", together with machinery, basic metals and chemicals (FashionNetwork, 01.10.2026). Chemicals and machinery are now on the list, textiles are not. As the list may still change according to Bloomberg, we keep watching.

Freight rates: somewhat higher again

On the Asia–Europe route, container rates rose again in October. On 22 October, Drewry's World Container Index stood at USD 4,585 per 40-foot container, the second rise in a row. Shanghai–Rotterdam cost USD 3,632 (up 3 percent), Shanghai–Genoa USD 4,152 (up 5 percent) (Drewry figures via Yihang Shipping, 23.10.2026). On 29 October the composite index fell 3 percent to USD 4,429 (Drewry). The figures for the individual Europe routes on that date are not public.

Carriers want to raise rates further on 1 November. According to industry reports, rates of around USD 4,500 per 40-foot container to North Europe and USD 4,900 to 5,200 to the Mediterranean have been announced. Analysts doubt that the full increase will hold. For a B2B apparel order, freight usually makes up only a small part of the landed cost per piece. With bulky goods such as jackets or hoodies, fluctuations are more noticeable.

What this means for importers

Nothing changes for current orders. If you are planning for the first half of 2027, keep three things in mind:

• Know your tariff codes: safeguards are defined by HS codes. If you know the codes of your articles, you can see immediately whether a new measure affects you.
• Settle the duty risk in the quote: with DDP delivery, the supplier initially bears the duty. Clarify what applies if a new measure enters into force between order and customs clearance.
• Plan for New Year 2027: Chinese New Year falls on 6 February 2027. Around the holidays there can be delays in production and shipping. If you need goods in March, approve samples now. Details are in our article on planning around the New Year festival.

At DS Trading we include duty, freight and import VAT in the quote based on the HS code of your article, see Services. If you want to know what the current developments mean for a specific order, write to us via the contact page. As soon as the Commission officially presents its proposals, we will update this article.