China details curbs on EU medical device imports in govt procurement

The Chinese Ministry of Finance on Thursday expounded on the measures China has taken against medical devices imported from the European Union (EU) through government procurement projects.

The ministry said in a notice on Sunday that when a purchaser buys medical devices with a budget of over 45 million yuan (about $6.29 million), if it is necessary to purchase imported products – after going through relevant legal procedures – the participation of EU enterprises (excluding EU-funded enterprises in China) should be excluded.

On Thursday, when answering a question about the budget threshold of 45 million yuan, the ministry said that if a budget reaches 45 million yuan or more, measures stipulated in the notice will be implemented regardless of whether the procurement involves single-unit purchases of a specific product type, bulk purchases of a specific type, or the obtaining of different types of products.

EU-funded enterprises in China can participate in government procurement projects involving the purchase of medical devices that exceed a cost of 45 million yuan. However, if the products they provide include medical devices imported from the EU, the value of the medical devices imported from the EU must not exceed 50 percent of the total contract value, the ministry said.

China's state-owned-enterprise procurement is not categorized under government procurement, and the notice does not apply, the ministry added.

A spokesperson for China's commerce ministry on Sunday said that the European Commission introduced measures on June 20, 2025, to restrict Chinese enterprises and products from participating in the EU's public procurement of medical devices, and continues to raise barriers for Chinese firms in public procurement.

The spokesperson said that China had repeatedly expressed through bilateral dialogue its willingness to resolve differences with the EU via such dialogue, and through consultation and bilateral government procurement arrangements. Regrettably, despite China's goodwill and sincerity, the EU has insisted on taking restrictive measures to build new protectionist barriers, the spokesperson added.

"Therefore, China has no choice but to take reciprocal restrictive measures to safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese enterprises, and to maintain a fair competition environment," the spokesperson said.