THE European Commission has launched a probe into Chinese medical device firms as a measure to protect EU producers from unfair competition, reports Nikkei Asia.

The probe, which Beijing swiftly criticised, is meant to determine if European suppliers have been granted fair access in China, the EU's official journal said.

If it concludes that they have not, it could lead to the EU placing restrictions on Chinese medical device companies bidding in public tenders.

The probe is the first under the EU International Procurement Instrument, which aims to promote reciprocity in access to international public procurement markets, following long-running complaints from European companies and governments over access to the Chinese market.