Members of the European Parliament’s Trade Committee will brief journalists on EU-China trade developments on Wednesday 21 October ahead of their upcoming delegation visit to Beijing and Shanghai, the Parliament announced in a media invitation.
What Parliament is doing
The press briefing will feature Bernd Lange and Pascal Canfin, two leading MEPs involved in EU trade and international affairs. It is being organised by the Committee on International Trade (INTA) as a prelude to the committee’s visit to China, where members are scheduled to meet counterparts and stakeholders in Beijing and Shanghai. The invitation signals that the committee is preparing to discuss the current state of EU-China trade relations publicly before travelling.
Why it matters
The Trade Committee’s delegation visits are a routine part of parliamentary scrutiny and external relations: they allow MEPs to gather first‑hand information, engage with international partners and inform European policy positions. A briefing in Brussels specifically focusing on EU-China trade indicates the importance the committee attaches to the relationship with China, and to providing media and public insight into the objectives and themes of its forthcoming visit.
What happens next
The immediate next step is the on‑the‑record press briefing on 21 October featuring Lange and Canfin. Following that event, the committee will proceed with its travel to Beijing and Shanghai. The press release does not provide further details such as the exact agenda, the composition of the delegation beyond the two named MEPs, or the dates and format of meetings in China.
The announcement was issued by the European Parliament’s Committee on International Trade and is presented as a media invitation rather than a policy declaration. No legislative or negotiating outcomes are referenced in the invitation itself.
Source: European Parliament press release
