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