EU votes for tariffs on Chinese-made EVs in blockbuster trade row

China, which had lobbied with Germany for the tariffs to be rejected, says it will do all it can to safeguard the interests of Chinese companies

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The EU vote on Friday followed an anti-subsidy investigation that found Chinese-made EVs were distorting the European market. Photo: AFP

Finbarr Berminghamin Brussels

Published: 5:11pm, 4 Oct 2024Updated: 8:23pm, 4 Oct 2024

European Union members voted on Friday to impose punitive tariffs on Chinese-made electric vehicles in a hotly anticipated move that drew swift criticism – but no immediate retaliation – from Beijing.

Tariffs will be imposed by October 31 for five years, following the closed-door vote of the bloc’s 27 member states. The vote was triggered by an anti-subsidy investigation, which found that Chinese-made EVs were distorting the European market.

The European Commission said it had “obtained the necessary support from EU member states for the adoption of tariffs”.

It marks a victory for commission chief Ursula von der Leyen who, backed by France, had pushed for a crackdown on what she has described as a “flood” of cut-price, subsidised EVs from China into the EU market.

It will be a bitter pill to swallow for Beijing. It had – along with Germany – lobbied fiercely against the tariffs, and challenged them at the World Trade Organization. China has also launched a series of retaliatory trade investigations.

The Chinese Ministry of Commerce slammed the decision, adding that “China will take all measures to firmly safeguard the interests of Chinese companies”.