Technical trade measures adopted in other countries affected a quarter of China's export enterprises and cost them direct losses of $68.5 billion last year, the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine said on Monday.

The losses accounted for 3.34 percent of the value of China's exports last year, an increase of 0.07 percentage points compared with 2011, according to a survey by the administration this year.

The survey sampled 3,152 export enterprises in 31 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities, and 3,137 responded, according to the administration.

Major technical trade measures applied by China's trade partners included a sudden requirement for certificates.

The European Union had the biggest impact on China's export enterprises last year, followed by the US, Australia and New Zealand.