China and EU Restart Talks on Minimum Price Commitment for Electric Vehicles
The Chinese Ministry of Commerce stated on Thursday (December 11) that negotiations with the EU on setting a minimum price for Chinese-made electric vehicles have resumed and will continue next week. China also urged the EU not to bypass the government and engage directly with Chinese automakers.
According to Reuters, the 27 EU member states had previously approved tariffs of up to 45.3% on Chinese electric vehicles in October 2024, citing concerns that Chinese EV manufacturers may be causing overcapacity pressures in Europe due to unfair subsidies.
Beijing has consistently maintained that the advantages of Chinese companies come from competitiveness rather than subsidies, and has long called on Brussels to accept a minimum pricing scheme instead of tariffs. Analysts point out that the EU is a key market for Chinese EV manufacturers, and with domestic price wars and deflationary pressures narrowing profit margins, they rely more heavily on European sales.
He Yadong, a spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Commerce, said at a regular press conference: "We welcome the EU's renewed willingness to restart price commitment talks and appreciate the EU's return to the right track of resolving differences through dialogue." He said that relevant consultations have already taken place in recent days and will continue until next week, but did not provide further details.
Previously, the "minimum price commitment" adopted by the EU typically applied to homogenous goods such as steel and photovoltaic components, not complex manufactured products like cars. The European Commission noted that a single minimum price would be difficult to fully offset the market damage caused by subsidies.
Source: rfi
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1851256729849864/
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