The European Commission has decided to postpone its decision on imposing tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles until after the European Parliament election on June 9, according to a source familiar with the matter, as reported by Reuters. The postponement comes amid concerns about adding billions of dollars in new costs for Chinese electric car makers.
Initially, the provisional tariffs were expected to be announced by June 5, but the decision was delayed to avoid the issue becoming a focal point of the election campaign. The new deadline for the decision is June 10, the day after election results are released, although the delay is reportedly due to a last-minute technical issue with the document.
A spokesperson for the European Commission stated that the date for the decision has not been confirmed yet.
In response to the investigation, China has urged the Commission to end the inquiry, describing it as “unreasonable” and not in line with international rules, according to the Chinese foreign ministry.
The investigation into Chinese electric vehicles was officially launched on October 4 and can last up to 13 months. The Commission has the authority to impose provisional anti-subsidy duties nine months after the start of the probe.
Earlier this month, the Commission warned three Chinese electric vehicle makers that they had not provided sufficient information for the anti-subsidy investigation, according to two people familiar with the case.