Several key EU member states advocate for a tougher trade regime against China, including faster tariffs and broader safeguards, to address industrial overcapacity. The proposal comes ahead of a significant debate in Brussels.

A coalition of major EU member states is pushing Brussels towards a much tougher trade regime aimed at combating Chinese-style industrial overcapacity, including faster emergency tariffs, broader safeguards and new anti-circumvention powers. A paper signed by Spain, Italy, the Netherlands, France and Lithuania days before a major China-focused debate in Brussels said the bloc must respond more aggressively to “systemic and structural industrial overcapacity” – phrases often taken as shorthand...