New tariffs introduced on Chinese electric cars, with a rate that could reach up to 50%; European Union divided in two, with Germany against and France and Italy in favor.
Tolerance towards Chinese electric cars on the part of Brussels is now at its last legs. The EU Commission has in fact announced theintroduction of new duties which will penalise the import of cars from the Land of the Rising Sun: at the rate of 10% currently, in fact, an additional tax will be added including between 18% and 38%.
Negotiations with China in sight
The measure can be interpreted as a warning of the opening of a negotiation with China in anticipation of the final choices that the EU will make in the autumn. However, Beijing accuses Europe of protectionism, especially after the US has already increased its tariffs 100%.
According to Lin Jianspokesman for Chinese diplomacy, Europe’s move is simply an excuse to impose surcharges that, in the long run, could lead to a real trade war.
Accordingly, Beijing
reserves the right to file a lawsuit at the WTO and take all necessary measures to vigorously defend the rights and interests
of its businesses, says He Yadong, spokesman for the Ministry of Commerce. In essence, China could in turn increase import taxes which currently amount to 15%.
Germany opposes
However, not all European countries are in favor of the decision taken by the Commission, primarily the Germania which boasts intense and long-lasting commercial relations with Beijing. The Government reports that a similar move will only further hinder foreign trade, a statement also shared by Hungary e Sweden.
However, I have a completely different opinion France e Italia; according to the business minister Adolfo Urso, in fact, duties
protect European production
and allow you to
reaffirm the Italian automotive industry in Italy.
And the European Commission based itself precisely on this: according to the latest investigations carried out, the subsidies from which the Chinese are currently benefiting do nothing but damage European producers.
In fact, looking at last year, 1 in 5 cars in Europe is imported from China, for a total of 438 thousand electric vehicles imported for 9.7 billion. The most notable joint ventures are: Bmw, Tesla e Renault.
Brands hit by duties
The sample of houses targeted by the duties is divided into 3 levels: to the colossus Byd touch the lowest one of the 17,4%followed by Greely with the 20% e Saic with the 38,1%. All the other companies that collaborated in the survey, instead, will face an extra 21%; finally, the companies that did not provide information will receive the 38,1%.
The final regulation will be published on July 4, 2024, and duties will only be collected from November 4, 2024, once the relationship is concluded. Historical European manufacturers, such as MercedesPorsche, BMW e Volkswagen have always been very skeptical about this, believing that free and fair trade is essential to creating an internationally competitive European automotive industry. The same goes for Stellantis which, having a joint venture with the Chinese leap motor, declares that it does not support all those measures that favor the fragmentation of the world.
