EU confirms steep tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles, effective immediately

Brussels accuses Beijing of lavishing its car-makers with enormous amounts of subsidies that lead to artificially low prices and unfair competition.

Transcript

00:00The new European tariffs on electric cars made in China are to officially come into

00:06effect on the 5th of July.

00:10A measure that could raise tensions between Brussels and Beijing.

00:15The new tariffs will go from 17.4 to 37.6%.

00:20After a nine month investigation, the European Commission accuses Beijing of unfair competition

00:26by subsidizing production and lowering prices.

00:30There are significant interests, industrial interests and employment interests in Europe

00:37and our investigation has clearly shown that there is damage being done through these unfair

00:46practices by China to the interests of EU industry, those who produce electric vehicles

00:55in Europe.

00:57The purpose of the measure is to protect European industry, it has the support of countries

01:02with an important car industry such as France and Italy, but not Germany.

01:08We absolutely have to make sure that these tariffs are still used, that's why we welcome

01:14that the EU Commission and China are now talking to each other.

01:17Why?

01:18Because we originally wanted to do something for competitiveness with this investigation.

01:21You have to say, for competitiveness, tariffs don't do anything at all, we don't get any

01:27better access to raw materials, so our energy prices don't get cheaper and the bureaucracy

01:33doesn't get less.

01:34Brussels has to do its own homework here.

01:38The tariffs will remain in place until a final decision is taken in four months, which EU

01:43member states could block if they mount a qualified majority against the proposal.

01:49In the meantime, it may become clear what retaliatory measures China will take.