Italy and Spain support imposing tariffs on electric cars made in China

The vote is not binding, but could influence the final conclusion of the European Comissionwhich oversees the bloc’s trade policy. The Commission established provisional tariffs from up to 37.6% on electric cars imported from China, increasing tensions with Beijing.

The EU executive is seeking the opinion of the bloc’s member countries in a vote “advisory”which the Commission is expected to take into account when deciding whether to impose definitive tariffs on what constitutes the Highest-profile business case of the EU to date.

What position would countries take?

The Commission states that the Voting is confidential and will not reveal the result, several EU member countries have expressed their undecided.

Government sources said on Monday that Italy had voted in favour and Spain would do the same. in its written submissions. Sweden plans to abstain, the trade minister told Reuters. Johan Forssell. Germany will also abstain, according to sources consulted on Friday. One of them said it was doing so in the interest of a “critical solidarity” with the Commission.

He Polish Ministry of Development He said Warsaw’s position was still the subject of consultations between ministries. Greece had not yet commented as of Saturday. A decade ago, the EU executive did not impose tariffs on Chinese solar panels after it became clear that a broad group of EU members did not support them. Subsequently, EU manufacturing plummeted.

What will happen in the face of both positive and negative results?

The Commission will continue its investigation and determine whether to propose definitive tariffs that would normally apply during five years. In case affirmativetariffs will be subject to a binding vote between EU members and would block If a qualified majority of 15 member countries representing 65% of the EU population vote against.

He period of almost four months The time remaining until then will allow Brussels and Beijing to negotiate a possible solution to the tariffs that would affect Chinese producers such as BYD, Geely and SAIC and Western car manufacturers such as Tesla and BMWBeijing has threatened far-reaching retaliation.