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Brussels imposes provisional tariffs of up to 37.6% on Chinese electric car imports

by AI | 04.Jul 2024 | Europe in brief AI

The Commission came to this conclusion nine months after having launched an anti-subsidy investigation into these imports on its own initiative and while continuing conversations with the Chinese authorities to try to find a solution.

Archive photo showing several workers on the assembly line at the SAIC-GM-Wuling factory in Liuzhou (China). EFE/Qilai Shen

Brussels – The European Commission (EC) imposed provisional tariffs of up to 37.6% on imports of electric vehicles from China on Thursday, to offset the damage to community producers caused by unfair subsidies to that Chinese sector.

The Commission reached this conclusion nine months after it had initiated an anti-subsidy investigation of these imports on its own and while continuing talks with Chinese authorities to try to find a solution, the Community Executive reported in a statement.

The individual duties applicable to the three Chinese producers included in the sample amount to 17.4% for BYD, 19.9% for Geely, and 37.6% for SAIC.

In addition, other Chinese electric vehicle producers who cooperated in the investigation but were not included in the sample are subject to the weighted average duty of 20.8%, while those that did not cooperate will be subject to 37.6%.

The figures were slightly revised downward compared to the tariffs announced last June 12, based on comments on the accuracy of the calculations submitted by interested parties, the EC indicated in a statement.

Following its publication today in the Official Journal of the European Union, the measure will apply from tomorrow, July 5, for a maximum duration of four months.

Within that period, a final decision on definitive duties must be adopted through a vote of the EU member states.

When this decision is adopted, the duties will be definitive for a period of five years.

The investigation also examined the probable consequences and impact of these measures on importers, users, and consumers of electric vehicles in the EU, the Commission recalled.

It made clear that consultations with the Chinese government have intensified in recent weeks, following an exchange of views between the EC’s Executive Vice President and Trade Commissioner, Valdis Dombrovskis, and the Chinese Trade Minister, Wang Wentao.

“We continue to work intensively with China to find a mutually acceptable solution. Any negotiated outcome of our investigation must clearly and fully address the EU’s concerns and comply with World Trade Organization rules,” Dombrovskis said. (July 4)