China reduces final tariffs on dairy products from the EU

China has set final import duties on selected dairy products from the European Union at a level significantly lower than previous rates announced late last year, Bloomberg reported.

The duties — up to 11.7% following an anti-subsidy investigation — apply to fresh and processed cheeses in particular and will take effect on Friday, China’s Ministry of Commerce said on Thursday. For comparison: in December, previous rates of up to 43% were announced, which were collected in the form of deposits.

Since the leaders’ summit in July, the parties have been trying to deepen economic cooperation. In particular, French President Emmanuel Macron recently visited China. Earlier this week, the EU exempted one of Volkswagen AG’s Chinese-made electric cars from high import duties, the first car approved under a new mechanism designed to reduce tensions.

Beijing launched an investigation into the European dairy sector in 2024 amid a trade dispute with the EU that has also extended to other food products, including meat and brandy. The final import tariff rates on pork announced in December were also significantly lower than the initial ones.

“China is willing to maintain dialogue with the European side to create an open and stable market environment for Chinese and European industries,” said He Yadong, a spokesman for the Chinese Ministry of Commerce, on Thursday, noting the “soft landing” of the tariff dispute over Chinese electric vehicles.

According to government statistics, as of September 2025, China was the ninth largest market for EU cheese exports. The volume of shipments during the period was 20,765 tons, down about 12% from a year earlier.

European cheese and cream exporters to China “face a very competitive market from other exporting countries,” especially those with free trade agreements, said Alexander Anton, secretary general of the industry body Euromilk.

These concerns are echoed by ING’s senior food and agriculture economist Theis Geyer.

“The final tariffs are lower, but market access remains a challenge. China has long been seen as a growth market for EU dairy exporters, but export volumes for products such as cheese were already under pressure before the tariffs were imposed,” he said.

Tags: China, EU, duties