Beijing (The Brussels Morning Newspaper) – China has appealed to the WTO against the EU’s new tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles, arguing they violate WTO rules and disrupt global climate collaboration.
Why has China appealed to the WTO over EV tariffs?
Beijing stated it had filed a plea with the World Trade Organization over the European Union’s imposition of additional tariffs on imports of electric vehicles from China. In July, the EU hit extra provisional duties of up to 38 per cent on Chinese EVs after its administrative arm concluded in an investigation that they were unfairly damaging European rivals.
“China appealed to the World Trade Organization’s dispute settlement instrument over the EU’s temporary anti-subsidy actions on EVs,” a spokesperson for the country’s commerce ministry stated in a statement.
How does China view the EU’s tariff decision?
The ministry stated the appeal sought to “safeguard the development rights and interests of the electric vehicle industry and collaboration over the global green transformation”.“The EU’s preliminary ruling lacks an accurate and legal basis, seriously breaks WTO rules, and undermines the overall situation of global collaboration in addressing climate change,” it said.
“We recommend the EU to immediately correct its unfair practices and jointly maintain the stability of China-EU economic and trade partnership as well as EV industrial and supply chains.” China and the European Union have butted heads in recent years on a range of topics relating to trade, technology, human rights and national security. But Brussels meets a delicate balancing act as it attempts to defend Europe’s crucial auto industry and pivot towards green growth while also preventing a showdown with Beijing.
