Stay updated with complimentary news alerts
Stay informed by subscribing to the EU trade myFT Digest – delivered straight to your email.
Beijing has responded to EU tariffs on Chinese electric vehicle exporters by lodging a complaint with the World Trade Organization, escalating the ongoing trade conflict with Brussels.
In early June, the European Commission announced a significant increase in tariffs on Chinese-made electric vehicles after an investigation revealed unfair subsidies provided by Beijing to its car industry.
These tariffs are provisional and await approval from EU member states in November. EU Trade Chief Valdis Dombrovskis anticipates their approval, stating that the levies could reach close to 50 percent for non-cooperative carmakers.
China’s ministry of commerce filed a complaint with the WTO, claiming that the EU’s findings breach WTO regulations and hinder global collaboration on climate change.
The European Commission is reviewing the Chinese complaint and will respond in accordance with WTO procedures.
Dombrovskis defends the tariffs, stating they are not prohibitive and necessary to protect the EU’s industry from international competition.
China has retaliated against EU measures with anti-dumping investigations into French cognac and EU pork imports. The EU has also implemented trade probes and anti-dumping measures in response.
The EU’s stricter stance on trade aims to safeguard its industry from cheaper imports while maintaining environmental standards.