The European Commission’s investigation into Chinese subsidies for electric vehicles is on track and the Commission may impose tariffs on the made-in-China electric cars in Europe, according to a news report published by Politico on May 2.
The report cited Valdis Dombrovskis, a Latvian politician who is currently serving the European Commission as executive vice president and a trade commissioner.
Dombrovskis told the media publication that the Commission could impose new tariffs on the Chinese EVs imported into Europe ‘before the summer break.’
According to the news report, the legal deadline for introducing provisional measures including tariffs on made-in-China EVs is July 4, which marks nine months since the Commission began its investigation.
The European Commission had launched a probe into the Chinese EVs in October 2023, alleging that the government subsidies have helped the carmakers in mainland China to artificially keep the costs low, and that these deflated prices are distorting the EV market in the EU region, harming European automakers.
According to the report, the Commission’s investigation of Chinese EVs came after pressure from the French government, which demanded for stronger European industrial defense against Beijing’s fast-growing EV industry.
