France and Germany have urged the European Union to create a rapid-response mechanism for countries whose policies harm the bloc economically, as trade tensions increasingly involve tariffs, subsidies and export controls. German officials compared the proposed tool with the United States’ Section 301 tariffs and China’s restrictions on critical-mineral exports. The proposal does not name a target, but cites dumping, broad subsidies and limits on currency convertibility, distortions that EU leaders have associated with China. A joint document also calls for faster trade-defense investigations covering entire sectors, plus measures to reduce dependence on single suppliers and potentially restrict single-market access for countries undermining fair competition. The European Commission could activate countermeasures unless a qualified majority of EU members opposed them, with German officials saying action could take days. Any new legislation would still require approval from EU governments and the European Parliament.