The European Commission is not considering imposing special tariffs on hybrid vehicles imported from China, EU trade spokesman Olof Gill said, dismissing media reports that such measures were under discussion.
Gill’s comments followed a report last week by Euractiv, which cited a source in the office of EU Industry Commissioner Stéphane Séjourné as saying the bloc was exploring whether tariffs applied to battery-electric vehicles could be expanded to cover hybrid models from China. Gill said there were no ongoing anti-dumping investigations into hybrid vehicle exports, a necessary step under World Trade Organisation rules before any tariffs can be imposed.
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While ruling out immediate action, Gill acknowledged that the current EU trade measures are narrowly focused. He said the investigations underpinning the existing additional duties “exclusively” covered battery-electric vehicles, reflecting what the Commission has identified as a problematic trade pattern in the battery sector that could threaten European industry. Batteries are also used in plug-in hybrids, he noted, but on a much smaller scale than in fully electric cars.
The issue has nonetheless gained political attention within the EU. Séjourné has previously questioned why trade protections should apply only to battery-electric vehicles and not to hybrids, arguing that both are produced under similar conditions and that European manufacturers require equal treatment. His remarks come amid a sharp rise in Chinese hybrid vehicle exports to the EU, which surged by 155% in 2025, compared with a 12% increase in battery-electric vehicle exports last year.
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Since 2024, the EU has imposed additional duties of between 7.8% and 35.3% on battery-electric vehicles imported from China, on top of the bloc’s standard 10% car import tariff. Those measures have prompted strong objections from Beijing and led to negotiations that recently produced a provisional compromise allowing Chinese manufacturers to offer minimum price commitments as an alternative to tariffs.
The Commission has cautioned that the publication of guidelines for such commitments does not guarantee that tariffs will be lifted, and critics argue the arrangement may benefit exporters more than the EU budget.
Source: MobilityPortal