EU imposes tariffs of up to 38% on Chinese electric vehicles
Al Jazeera
Volkswagen, Europe’s biggest carmaker, warns extra duties will not strengthen Europe’s auto industry.
The European Union has imposed extra duties of up to 37.6 percent on imports of electric vehicles (EVs) made in China, the bloc announced, despite Beijing’s warnings the move would unleash a trade war.
The European Commission said on Thursday that the tariffs were put in place because of “unfair” state subsidies and will kick off on Friday.
There is, however, a four-month window during which the tariffs are only provisional and talks are expected to continue between the two sides.
The Commission, the EU’s executive, launched an investigation last year into Chinese EV manufacturers on whether state subsidies were unfairly undercutting European carmakers.
After four months, when the probe concludes, the Commission could propose “definite duties” that would apply for five years and on which the 27-member bloc would vote.
