China takes EU’s EV tariff stoush to WTO

CHINA has formally launched a complaint to the World Trade Organisation (WTO) over the European Union’s decision to impose anti-subsidy duties on Chinese-made electric vehicles.

China’s Ministry of Commerce brought the case before the WTO’s dispute settle mechanism this week in a move it says will help to safeguard the development rights and interests of the EV industry.

“Judgement in the EU’s provisional conclusion lacks factual and legal foundation,” a Chinese Ministry of Commerce spokesperson said in a statement.

“It severely violated WTO rules and undermined the global cooperation on dealing with climate change.

“We urge the EU to immediately correct its wrongdoing and together safeguard China-EU economic and trade cooperation as well as the stability of EV supply chain.”

Beijing’s relationship with the European Union has fractured over recent month as the region brings its anti-China policy closer to that of the United States’.

Last month, the EU imposed provisional tariffs of as high as 37.6 per cent against some Chinese EV brands after a months-long investigation into Chinese state aid to vehicle manufacturers.

The decision drew swift condemnation from Beijing, which has already threatened retaliation against European aircraft manufacturers and farmers while also launching an anti-dumping probe targeting the French spirits industry.

The news comes less than a week after it was announced that Chinese-made EVs have taken an 11 per cent slice of Europe’s new car market. Buyers rushed to secure a vehicle before the tariff on imported models was introduced, taking sales figures for the previous month to an impressive 208,872 units across the bloc.

With Automotive News