Chinese Chamber of Commerce Criticizes EU Tariffs on Electric Vehicle Imports

• The Chinese Chamber of Commerce to the EU (CCCEU) has sharply criticized the European Union’s plan to impose five-year tariffs of up to 36% on electric vehicles (EVs) made in China.
• The chamber expressed its dissatisfaction with what it called a “protectionist approach” by the European Commission and warned that these measures could exacerbate trade tensions between China and the EU, potentially harming global cooperation and green development efforts.
• The European Commission has proposed final tariffs of 36.3% for Chinese automakers that did not cooperate with the EU’s anti-subsidy investigation. However, companies that cooperated, such as Tesla, saw their tariffs reduced from 20.8% to 9%.

Brussels, August 20 (FFN) – The Chinese Chamber of Commerce to the EU (CCCEU) has strongly criticized the European Commission’s decision to impose tariffs on electric vehicles (EVs) imported from China, with rates potentially reaching 36% over the next five years. The chamber called this move an “unfair use of trade tools” and warned that it could weaken the resilience of the European electric vehicle industry while increasing trade tensions between the EU and China.

According to the CCCEU, this protectionist stance could send a “deeply negative signal” regarding global cooperation and efforts towards green development. The European Commission, however, insists that the tariffs are necessary to counter what it sees as unfair subsidies provided by the Chinese government to its EV manufacturers.

In response to the EU’s ongoing anti-subsidy investigation, the Commission has proposed final tariffs of 36.3% for non-cooperative Chinese automakers. On the other hand, companies that cooperated with the investigation, such as Tesla, received lower tariffs, with Tesla’s being reduced from 20.8% to 9% after an on-site verification of the subsidies received.

The European Commission also reduced tariffs for other Chinese companies, including BYD (from 17.4% to 17%), Geely (from 19.9% to 19.3%), and SAIC (from 37.6% to 36.3%). Additionally, the EU noted that some Chinese firms in joint ventures with European automakers might also see reduced tariffs on their China-made EVs.

A European Commission official stated that the EU remains “open” to finding a solution to the dispute without imposing tariffs, but emphasized that the “ball is in China’s court” to offer an alternative resolution.

Overview of Proposed Tariffs on Chinese EVs