Chinese business group welcomes EU approval of Germany's Ceconomy acquisition, saying it underscores value of dialogue

The China Chamber of Commerce to the EU (CCCEU) said on Wednesday that it welcomes European Commission's approval of Chinese e-commerce giant JD.com's acquisition of Germany's Ceconomy Group under the bloc's Foreign Subsidies Regulation (FSR).

A Chinese analyst said the move is conducive to fostering commercial interests among Chinese and EU companies, and urged the bloc to foster a fair, transparent, and non-discriminatory market environment so that Chinese companies' interest in the bloc is not undermined.

The decision, reached after extensive engagement with both parties and a comprehensive assessment of the proposed commitments, underscores the importance of constructive dialogue between regulators and businesses in addressing regulatory concerns, the CCCEU said in a statement.

EC's approval was made on Tuesday. According to Reuters, the acquisition will help one of China's largest retailers to expand outside its home market via Ceconomy-owned electronic products retailers MediaMarkt and ⁠Saturn.

This marks the first case in which an acquisition by a Chinese company has been approved by the EC following an in-depth investigation under the FSR.

The EC decision came amid frequent and ongoing bilateral communications and talks over economic and trade issues, with the second meeting of the China-EU trade and investment consultation mechanism recently yielding positive progress and a number of consensuses.

However, the CCCEU pointed out that the FSR and its implementation remain a key concern for Chinese companies investing in Europe and it expects the EU to uphold the principles of objectivity, fairness, transparency and proportionality in enforcing and implementing the FSR.

"Regulatory measures should be tailored to the circumstances of each case, with due regard for businesses' legitimate rights and interests, and should not create unnecessary barriers to legitimate commercial investment or market cooperation," it said.

Zhang Jian, a vice president of the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations, told the Global Times on Wednesday that the EC's latest has a positive significance, demonstrating that the importance of constructive dialogue between regulators and businesses in addressing regulatory concerns and the proper handling of the case is conducive to the win-win commercial cooperation between companies from both sides.

However, whether this will set a template for future FSR cases involving Chinese companies remains to be seen, since the underlying logic of the EU's trade and economic policy toward China has not changed, Zhang said. He noted that the bloc should keep its market fair and objective and avoid discriminating against Chinese companies operating in the EU given their contribution to the EU's growth and job creation.

The transaction is expected to bring fresh investment, digital expertise, logistics capabilities and supply chain resources to Europe's retail sector, supporting local business development and innovation while creating new opportunities for commercial cooperation between Chinese and European companies, said the CCCEU.

The chamber said it also encourages the EU to improve regulatory transparency and policy predictability, helping to ensure a fair, non-discriminatory, stable and predictable business environment for investors from all countries, including China.

This would help boost Chinese companies' confidence in investing and growing their businesses in Europe, while supporting the healthy, stable and sustainable development of bilateral economic and trade relations, it said.

Despite a series of economic and trade consultations, the EU is reportedly considering expanding trade restrictions to additional sectors including chemicals and machinery amid concerns over competition from Chinese imports.

China will take all necessary measures to defend its legitimate rights and interests, if the EU persists in imposing discriminatory restrictions against Chinese products, a spokesperson of the Chinese Ministry of Commerce said on October 29.

In May 2026, China's Ministry of Justice determined that the EU's cross-border investigative measures targeting Chinese security firm Nuctech under the FSR constitute improper extraterritorial jurisdiction.