China, export controls weigh on foreign companies
For the European Chamber of Commerce, 20% more costs and damage to the supply chain
Rita Fatiguso
The impact of the Chinese export control regime is proving very heavy for foreign companies operating in China or doing business with China.
The European Chamber of Commerce conducted a flash survey from 6 to 24 November to which 131 companies responded, a significant sample of companies to understand the impact of the measures taken on 9 October 2025, when the Chinese Ministry of Commerce announced an expansion of the control regime to include lithium battery technology, rare earth processing equipment, as well as devices containing high value-added Chinese technology.
The majority of respondents indicated that they had already been or expected to be affected by Chinese export control measures. Which will actually result in additional costs of 20% of global gross revenue by 2025. Delivery times of goods were disrupted, with 40% of respondents stating that export control approval processes added more than two months to normal delivery times. A fair proportion (38%) expect significant disruptions in supply chains, or production interruptions or slowdowns, if all export controls announced by China are fully implemented, including the measures announced on 9 October.
Forty per cent of the respondents stated that the export licence process of the Ministry of Trade even exceeded the 45-day time limit. 43% have not yet made a decision on how to respond to the controls, while 36% intend to work with suppliers to develop more capacity abroad.
