France and Germany want the European Union to get a “trade emergency button” that would let Brussels hit back fast at unfair trade. Here is what it means.

The idea is modelled on America’s Section 301, which lets Washington impose tariffs quickly when it finds unfair practices abroad. The Franco-German paper argues the EU’s current tools are too slow for today’s trade wars.

The button would give the Commission faster powers to act against dumping, heavy subsidies and sudden import surges. French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz are expected to approve the proposal within days.

China has already reacted sharply, vowing a “resolute response” if the EU adopts measures targeting its goods. Beijing’s machinery chamber warned the move would hurt European firms too. Whether the button gets pressed will depend on how trade tensions with China evolve in the coming months.

The proposal still needs approval from EU leaders and then detailed legislation. Trade experts say the real test will be whether Brussels ever actually uses the button.