The Chinese government filed a complaint with the World Trade Organization on Friday over the European Union’s imposition of provisional additional tariffs on imports of Chinese electric vehicles, China Daily reported.
The EU has imposed provisional tariffs on EVs made in China, ranging from 17.4% to 37.6%, on top of a 10% duty already imposed on Chinese auto imports, NHK World reported. This move followed the EU’s conclusion that Chinese automakers received large government subsidies that unfairly undermined their European rivals.
The action further escalates global tension over protectionist policies related to EVs. Both the US and the EU have accused China of unfairly subsidizing its EV market.
The Chinese Ministry of Commerce stated that the complaint aims to protect the development rights and interests of the electric vehicle industry and global green transformation cooperation. China has filed an appeal with the World Trade Organization, claiming that the EU tariffs violate WTO rules and undermine the global fight against climate change, according to state media.
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The EU recently announced plans to impose a 37.6% levy on Chinese EVs, which are flooding the market and posing a competitive threat to European automakers. The Ministry further commented that the EU’s preliminary ruling lacks a factual and legal basis, seriously violates WTO rules, and undermines global cooperation on climate change, as per China Daily.
To safeguard the development rights and interests of the EV industry and global green transformation cooperation, China has appealed to the WTO dispute settlement mechanism over the EU’s provisional countervailing measures on EVs. The Ministry of Commerce has urged the EU to immediately correct its actions and collaborate to protect the stability of China-EU economic and trade cooperation, as well as the electric vehicle industry and supply chains.
In early July, the European Commission imposed provisional additional tariffs on Chinese battery electric vehicle (BEV) makers of up to 37.6%, citing an investigation that concluded that subsidies benefit the Chinese BEV value chain and pose an economic risk to EU producers.
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