Germany opposed new EU tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles, which entered into force on Wednesday (30 October). The country has a major car industry and several large German brands have invested in the Chinese market and rely on sales in China.
After EU countries approved a tariff of up to 35.3 percent on electric cars from China, German carmakers warn that the decision will distort competition and damage global trade.
Slowing the production of cars with internal combustion engines down and at the same time drive the production of cars with electric engines forward – these are the goals set by the European Union and its member states. Despite subsidies for EVs introduced in some countries, sales of electric cars are crashing and the European car market is plunging into crisis.
According to Germany and five other EU member states, goods sold by Chinese online companies such as Temu and Shein and imported into the European Union do not comply with the Digital Services Act.
On his first European tour in five years, Chinese President Xi Jinping visited European leaders in France, Serbia and Hungary. While relations with Belgrade and Budapest are blossoming, Paris – and European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen – failed to persuade the Chinese leader to soothe the EU’s concerns over global trade and Russia’s war in Ukraine.