EU Study Identified Sources of Economic Coercion
Global trade operators should monitor new EU responses to coercive practices from China, the US, and Russia.
Updated on Sept. 28, 2026 in International Trade
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The European Parliament INTA Committee published a study evaluating economic pressure against the EU, which has intensified since 2024. This analysis highlights how third countries use trade and investment dependencies to exert influence over the bloc.
Why it matters
Economic coercion has become a persistent factor in the EU's external relations, creating new compliance and operational risks for businesses tied to these trade routes. The study provides a formal framework for how the EU intends to deploy its Anti-Coercion Instrument against such pressure.
China and the United States account for 42% and 24% of analyzed economic pressure cases, respectively, within the EU's recent assessment. These figures help define the scope of the Anti-Coercion Instrument, established in 2023 to address risks in trade, technology, and procurement.
The players
European Parliament INTA Committee
The standing committee responsible for the international trade policy and commercial relations of the European Union.
The details
The report details how nations leverage economic interdependencies in energy, investment, and supply chains to influence EU policy. Regulation (EU) 2023/2675 serves as the formal mechanism for the EU to respond to these practices, providing a legal pathway to address coercive behavior. Businesses operating across these jurisdictions now face a regulatory environment where trade relations are increasingly subject to formal counter-coercion interventions.
Timeline
Regulation (EU) 2023/2675 established the Anti-Coercion Instrument in 2023.
Economic pressure against the EU began to intensify in 2024.
Market Landscape
This study updates the strategic context for the application of Regulation (EU) 2023/2675. It marks a shift toward more formalized, data-driven responses by the EU to geopolitical trade dependencies that have escalated since 2024.
Operators with exposure to Chinese, US, or Russian markets should assess their supply chain reliance on sectors identified as leverage points, such as energy and procurement. Consider how the EU's activation of the Anti-Coercion Instrument might trigger rapid shifts in trade compliance requirements.
The takeaway
Economic pressure is now a structural component of EU trade relations that requires proactive risk monitoring. Operators should track the enforcement actions associated with the Anti-Coercion Instrument to understand how potential retaliatory measures might alter cross-border procurement costs.
Further reading
For more on the regulatory shifts affecting global markets, see International Trade.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Case-research.
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