China and the European Union (EU) are maintaining dialogue over the EU’s ongoing anti-subsidy investigation into Chinese electric vehicles (EVs), following the EU member states’ approval of a draft final ruling on the case last Friday, according to a report by the Xinhua News Agency.
This investigation is part of a broader trade discussion between China, the EU, and the US, with recent intensified communications focused on EV-related trade issues. Notably, the EU reportedly declined China’s proposal of setting a minimum sales price of 30,000 euros ($32,946) for EVs, although no official confirmation has been made from either side.
Trade experts like Yang Chengyu from the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences suggest that the EU’s concerns may be more about the country of origin rather than pricing, indicating an effort to establish trade barriers. Yang emphasized the need for greater EU cooperation in the negotiations, as continued protectionism could ultimately harm European automakers such as Volkswagen, BMW, and Mercedes-Benz, all of which have opposed the EU’s stance.
China’s Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) has criticized the EU’s actions, describing them as a violation of World Trade Organization (WTO) rules and a form of protectionism disguised as trade remedies. Meanwhile, the European Commission announced plans to challenge China’s provisional anti-dumping measures on EU brandy at the WTO, further complicating trade relations between the two economic giants.
