The European Commission lowers tariffs on electric vehicle imports from China

The European Commission (EC) has announced a reduction in the final anti-dumping duties on electric vehicle imports from China, introducing lower rates than previously proposed. As a result, Tesla, as an individual exporter, benefited from a preferential reduction in the duty rate from 9% to 7.8%. The new rates will apply for five years.

Specific Duty Rates for Manufacturers

The EC has outlined specific duties for Chinese manufacturers exporting electric vehicles to the European Union. The rates are as follows:

BYD: 17%
Geely: 18.8%
SAIC: 35.3%
Other cooperating companies: 20.7%
Tesla, after undergoing individual verification, was subject to the reduced duty of 7.8%. Meanwhile, companies that did not cooperate with the EC will face the maximum duty of 35.3%.

Implementation of the Rates and Dialogue with China

The new duties will come into effect once formally implemented. At the same time, the EU and China continue discussions to find alternative, WTO-compliant solutions to address the issues identified during the investigation. The Commission has also expressed openness to negotiations on pricing commitments with individual exporters, in line with EU and WTO regulations.

Importers have the opportunity to apply for refunds of part of the duties if they believe their exporting manufacturer is not receiving subsidies or if the subsidy margin is lower than the duties paid. Refund requests must be properly justified and supported by appropriate evidence.

Protecting the EU Market and Future Prospects

The new duties are intended to protect the European market from cheap imports of subsidized Chinese electric vehicles. At the same time, the European Commission emphasizes its willingness to cooperate with China to develop common, WTO-compliant solutions and effectively address the identified issues.