The EU has always been China's major fastener export market, accounting for about one-third of total exports. In 2013, due to the European debt crisis, China’s fastener export growth to the EU slowed down. In the first half of 2013, fasteners exported from Jiaxing to the European Union fell by 24.2% year-on-year. From January to November 2013, China’s fastener export market ranked on the list, with only Germany, the United Kingdom, and Italy. The export volume was 58,000 tons, 36,000 tons and 32,000 tons respectively.

In the future, with the gradual recovery of the economy in the euro area, it is expected that the proportion of fastener exports to the EU in China will increase significantly in 2014. In addition, the huge demand unique to the European market and the advantages of a mature trading environment, for many Chinese fastener exporting companies, their charm and potential are not replaced by other markets.