The EU and its Member States increasing securitisation moves vis-à-vis China To what extent is the European Union successful in collectively securitising China in the economic domain?

The evolving EU-China economic relationship reflects a shift from cooperation to systemic rivalry, driven by China’s increasingly assertive geoeconomic posture and the European Union’s evolving focus on economic security. This article examines the EU's collective securitisation efforts, applying a political and legal lens to assess challenges and opportunities. While legal tools and strategic policy shifts in favour of “de-risking” signify progress, the Union faces substantial hurdles in aligning Member States’ diverse interests and perceptions of China as a threat. Drawing on the evolution of EU-China relations in the past three decades, the analysis underscores the need for enhanced policy coherence and pragmatic measures to address economic security risks. The findings advocate leveraging existing Treaty provisions to foster resilience and strategic autonomy, emphasizing that coordinated action is critical to navigating the complexities of EU-China relations.