The European Commission is gearing up to initiate customs registration for Chinese electric vehicle (EV) imports, a move that could lead to tariffs if an ongoing trade investigation determines that these imports are benefiting from unfair subsidies.
The Commission’s anti-subsidy probe into Chinese battery EVs aims to assess whether tariffs should be imposed to safeguard EU producers. While the investigation is slated to conclude by November, provisional duties could be imposed as early as July.
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In a document released on Tuesday, the Commission indicated that it had gathered sufficient evidence suggesting that Chinese EVs were indeed subsidized. Moreover, imports had surged by 14% year-on-year since the formal launch of the investigation in October. The Commission warned of potential harm to EU producers, which could be challenging to mitigate if Chinese imports continued at this accelerated rate before the investigation’s conclusion.
The registration process is set to commence the day after the plan is published in the EU official journal, a step expected in the coming days.
In response, the China Chamber of Commerce to the EU expressed disappointment with the decision, highlighting that the increase in imports mirrored a growing demand for electric vehicles in Europe.
