Germany wants the EU’s planned “Made with Europe” rules to let products from trade partners qualify for public contracts, provided those countries give EU companies reciprocal access. The proposal clashes with France’s push to favor European-made goods.
Germany says eligibility should cover countries in the WTO Agreement on Government Procurement and those with an EU free-trade agreement or customs union. It argues wider access could encourage reciprocal market-opening deals, increase competition to lower costs and improve quality, and diversify supply chains for critical inputs such as batteries. Berlin backs allowing the Commission to add or remove countries through secondary legislation, but wants clear criteria and product-specific lists.
Germany also proposes an opt-out if a partner stops providing reciprocal access. To address what it calls “adverse undermining”—third-country companies using production in a partner country to exploit more favorable origin rules—it wants the Commission to assess indicators such as rising imports, investment or foreign participation in tenders, then request evidence, impose checks and exclude companies or countries. In some cases, the company or country under investigation would bear the burden of proof. Brussels has broader concerns that Chinese firms could shift production to countries such as Morocco.
