EU raises duties on Chinese electric vehicles

The European Union is preparing to impose significant tariffs on imports of electric vehicles from China. The document on the introduction of duties reaching 45% will be published in the official journal of the EU on Wednesday. They may come into force at the end of this week.

The decision, made after months of negotiations, threats of retaliation from China and calls from the automotive industry for de-escalation, represents a serious blow to Chinese electric car manufacturers. They have already faced restrictions on exports to the United States, where duties on electric vehicles from China have been significantly increased.

The new EU duties will range from 8% to 35% (above the existing 10% rate). This is due to the concerns of the European authorities that China is striving to dominate the electric car market, which could lead to a reduction in the share of European and American manufacturers.

Despite the growing popularity of Chinese electric vehicles, major European automakers such as Mercedes-Benz, Volkswagen and BMW are opposed to tariffs, fearing that this will negatively affect their sales in China. 

The EU and China plan to continue negotiations to find alternative solutions. However, so far these discussions have not led to significant progress, and trade tensions between the two economic giants may lead to an escalation of relations.