EU Sets October Deadline to Address Massive Trade Deficit with China

The European Commission is pushing to resolve the European Union's significant trade imbalance with China by October, as Brussels seeks to reduce its dependence on Chinese exports and rebalance economic relations with Beijing. The EU consistently imports far more from China than it exports, creating a structural trade deficit that has become a growing concern for European policymakers. Separately, analysts warn that Europe risks falling dangerously behind in the global artificial intelligence race, with limited tools available to close the gap with leading AI powers. For Slovakia, a small open economy deeply integrated into EU trade structures, both developments carry significant implications — particularly given the country's manufacturing sector and its reliance on broader European economic policy to navigate global competition.