The Chinese government has issued an appeal to the World Trade Organisation (WTO) over European Union (EU) import tariffs on electric vehicles (EV) made in China.
The Commerce Ministry said China made the WTO dispute “to safeguard the development rights and interests of the electric vehicle industry and cooperation on the global green transformation.”
In June it was rumoured the EU would impose multibillion-euro tariffs on imported Chinese EVs. Since then, the EU has imposed provisional tariffs on EVs made in China, in the range of 17.4% to 37.6%, according to Euro News.
The U.S. has gone one step further by bumping Chinese-imported EV tariffs up to 100% from 25%, which is expected to come into effect in the next two weeks. Canada is reportedly considering similar steps to “prevent trade diversion”.
A EU Commission spokesperson told AFP on Friday: “The EU is carefully studying all the details of this request and will react to the Chinese authorities in due course according to the WTO procedures.”
The two disputers reportedly have until November to resolve the debate, after which the provisional tariffs will become official, according to AP News.
