China Remains a Major Source of Illegally Exported Products According to EU Report
In 2024, the European Union witnessed a significant surge in the rejection of imported products, with a notable increase in items coming from China. According to EU officials, more than 80% of products checked due to suspected violations of EU rules originated from China. This figure represents a substantial rise, as the number of rejections from China rose sharply in 2024, up nearly 180% from 2022 to 48,139.
The categories most affected by these rejections were health products, household and home goods, and electronics and technology. This trend was observed across EU member states, although the specific countries with the highest number of import rejections for goods from China are not specified in the available information.
Customs authorities in EU member states are responsible for ensuring that imported products comply with EU safety and environmental standards. In 2023, they conducted approximately 400,000 interventions, including document checks, physical inspections, and lab tests. However, it's important to note that only 0.0082% of all imported products were checked by customs, equating to 82 items per million allowed into free circulation.
The rejection rates varied greatly among EU member states. After initial checks, around 36% of products were released for the EU market. After further examination, about 16% - around 65,000 items - were ultimately rejected.
In a report published in 2024, the European Commission called for member states to strengthen their customs controls in response to these rising rejection rates. This call to action comes amidst a transatlantic tariff dispute, with increased tariffs in EU member states in 2025 primarily concerning goods originating from the United States and the European Union itself.
The US came in second in terms of rejections, with 3,247 items being rejected in 2023, followed by the UK with 2,120. However, the report does not provide information on any changes in the number of rejections from China compared to previous years.
The increased tariffs in EU member states in 2025 mainly concerned goods originating from the United States and the European Union itself. The EU raised tariffs on certain US products such as steel, aluminum, motorcycles, jeans, bourbon, and peanut butter starting from April 2025, while the US imposed or planned reciprocal tariffs on EU goods with tariffs of around 15-30% effective from August 2025. The states with the highest number of import rejects for goods from these countries are not specified in the available information.
The most significant concern remains the high number of illegal products seized at EU customs checks, with most originating from China in 2024. The report underscores the need for increased vigilance and enhanced customs controls to protect the EU market and its consumers.
