European Union member states approved the imposition of tariffs on electric vehicles imported from China in a vote held on Friday. Ten member countries, including France and Italy, supported the measure, while twelve abstained and five voted against it.
The European Commission will implement countervailing duties of up to 35% on battery-powered vehicles manufactured in China, in addition to the existing 10% import tax. This proposal received backing from ten member states, including France, Italy, and Poland. Twelve other countries, such as Spain and Sweden, chose to abstain, despite having previously voiced their opposition.
Germany, along with four other nations—Hungary, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Malta—voted against the measure but could not secure the majority needed to overturn the Commission’s decision.
The objective is to restore fair competition conditions with manufacturers accused of benefiting from substantial public subsidies. This initiative aims to protect the European automotive industry and its approximately 14 million jobs from practices deemed unfair, as identified during an extensive investigation conducted by the Commission.
In response to these developments, China has criticized the action as “protectionist” and has retaliated by launching anti-dumping investigations targeting agricultural products imported from Europe.
