China denounces the EU for tariffs on electric cars

Geneva. Yesterday, China filed a complaint with the World Trade Organization (WTO) against the European Union (EU) for the application inappropriate of anti-subsidy tariffs on new electric vehicles manufactured in the Asian country.

The Chinese diplomatic mission stated in a document that strongly opposes to these measures and insisted that it seeks to protect the electric vehicle industry and support a global transition towards green technologies.

Furthermore, he argued that the EU measure is an abuse of commercial solutionswhich violates WTO rules and amounts to measures protectionists.

The European Commission (EC) insisted on defending the legality of the tariffs to compensate for illegal subsidies from Beijing to its producers and added that it will study the complaint to provide a response.

The European Commission takes note of the request for consultations presented by China at the WTO; we will study all the details and react to the Chinese authorities in due time, following WTO proceduresa community spokesperson told Europa Press.

Chinese Commerce Minister Wang Wentao said that unlike the EU’s anti-subsidy investigation, which began without European industries requesting it, China’s probes into certain European products, such as brandy, pork and dairy products, were initiated at the request of domestic industries, in full compliance with WTO rules and Chinese laws and regulations.

Last month the European bloc announced it would slap import tariffs of up to 35 percent on electric vehicles from China, claiming Chinese exports were unfairly undercutting EU industry prices. The tariffs must remain in place for five years, unless an amicable agreement can be reached.