Overview

• The ban applies to public procurement tenders for medical devices valued at €5 million or more and takes effect immediately.
• Brussels is deploying its International Procurement Instrument for the first time after finding clear evidence that China favoured domestic devices in hospital contracts.
• Under the new rules, successful bids must cap Chinese-made medical devices at 50% of total equipment unless no alternative suppliers exist.
• Public procurement accounts for about 70% of a €150 billion EU medical technology market, with high-value tenders making up roughly 60% of contract value.
• Beijing condemned the move as protectionist and accused the EU of double standards, stoking existing trade tensions over electric vehicle tariffs and rare earth curbs.