BRUSSELS — The China Chamber of Commerce to the European Union (CCCEU) said on Tuesday that it is “extremely shocked and dissatisfied” after the EU conducted raids on a Chinese company”s offices in Poland and the Netherlands.
The raids, which occurred without prior notice on Tuesday morning, aimed to investigate potential industry subsidies.
“They seized the company’s information technology equipment and employees’ mobile phones, scrutinized office documents, and demanded access to pertinent data,” as revealed by the CCCEU.
The Brussels-based business group criticized the EU for the “unjustifiable, unannounced raids,” pointing out the lack of prior notice and solid evidence to justify such actions. It stressed that “suspicions regarding subsidies can be followed by reasonable means of investigation.”
The CCCEU said that the EU’s actions send a detrimental message not only to Chinese enterprises but to all non-EU companies operating in the bloc.
The business group also condemned the EU’s intention to weaponize the Foreign Subsidies Regulation (FSR) as a tool to suppress lawfully operating Chinese firms in Europe.
The group has called on the European authorities to stop abusing FSR tools, effectively protect the legitimate rights and interests of foreign enterprises, and ensure “a genuinely fair and non-discriminatory business environment for all the non-EU enterprises.”