EU rejects China’s proposal for €30,000 minimum price

Despite the EU vote in favour of special tariffs for EVs from China, negotiations with Beijing continue. The European Union is said to have rejected China's latest proposal. The Chinese government apparently offered not to sell imported electric cars in the EU for less than €30,000.

Reuters reported on the ongoing negotiations, citing three sources. Even before the vote, in mid-September, Chinese electric vehicle manufacturers had offered the EU Commission that they could commit to certain prices when selling their vehicles in the EU to avoid the threat of special tariffs. The EU Commission also rejected this proposal.

This led to a vote by the EU member states on 4 October, in which the special tariffs proposed by the Commission on electric cars produced in China were accepted by a majority of the EU states, meaning that the special tariffs will likely come into force in November.

Discussions between the EU Commission and the Chinese government regarding a possible alternative solution are still ongoing. Both sides are still open to negotiations. Germany was one of the driving forces in this, as the country had spoken out against the plans until the very end. The EU Commission points out that an alternative solution must also be fully WTO-compatible, adequately combat the harmful subsidisation identified by the Commission’s investigation, and be monitorable and enforceable.

reuters.com