EU Proposes Tighter Control Over Foreign Investments Amid Opposition

The European Union is seeking to safeguard its economy by tightening control over foreign investments and exports of dual-use technology, despite facing resistance from member states.

• The European Union is proposing tighter control over foreign investments to prevent strategic companies from falling into unwanted hands, mainly Chinese but also from Middle Eastern countries.
• The EU Commission is also insisting on the need to control exports of dual-use technology (civilian and military) and to monitor European investments in advanced technologies in third countries.
• Despite the EU's efforts to de-risk its relationship with China, the most controversial elements of the strategy have faced opposition from EU member states.
• The EU Commission wants to revise rules on vetting foreign investments and set guidelines on academic collaboration to protect European researchers from industrial espionage and foreign interference.
• The only legislative proposal in the new package is a tightening of existing screening of investments into the EU, which would require all members to vet foreign takeovers to ensure they align with its security interests.

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