Maschinenbau: Unsichere Maschinen aus China – VDMA fordert Importverbote

Deutschland's machinery industry is calling for stricter market oversight of imports from third countries to prevent the entry of unsafe machinery into Europe. The VDMA industry association warned that "manufacturers of unsafe machines from third countries must be placed on a blacklist" and called for an immediate import ban to stop the delivery of such machinery to Europe. Similar actions are already taken by countries like the US and India.

A recent survey of over 400 member firms found that nearly two-thirds are facing competition from machines that do not meet essential safety requirements – often from China, but also from other nations. Losses in orders due to competitors' price advantages were reported, with many citing lack of emergency shut-offs, faulty safety devices, or deficiencies in electrical safety. Over half of the affected firms reported losing orders due to competitors benefiting from lower safety standards.

China was named by respondents from nearly 20 sub-sectors of machinery and plant engineering as the primary source of unsafe machinery (52 percent), followed by India and Turkey. In 37 percent of cases, the origin could not be clearly identified. VDMA CEO Thilo Brodtmann emphasized that "safety must not be a competitive disadvantage" and criticized manufacturers that ignore legal requirements to gain cost advantages.

In addition to an import ban for prominent manufacturers, the VDMA is calling for stricter product controls and centralized market monitoring. The survey findings highlight that existing market monitoring structures are insufficient to effectively keep unsafe products out of the European market, posing safety risks for employees.