The European Union’s decision to impose tariffs on Chinese-made electric vehicles (EVs) is a bad decision harmful to the European economy, Hungarian Foreign Affairs and Trade Minister Péter Szijjártó said in Istanbul on Friday.
The foreign minister said Hungary regrets the EU decision, which is “anti-democratic” as only 10 of the bloc’s 27 countries supported it.
“We are in favor of enhancing co-operation with China,” especially economic co-operation, he said, noting that many Chinese investors are now active in Hungary. “The EU should make better and more active co-operation with China when it comes to trade and economy,” he added.
The EU and China are close to concluding an agreement that would remove duties on imports of Chinese electric cars into Europe, Bernd Lange, chairman of the European Parliament’s international trade committee, told NTV television channel.
He said:
“We are continuing negotiations with the Chinese side regarding electric cars. We are close to a solution with China for the cancellation of duties. We are close to an agreement: China can commit to offer electric cars in the EU at least at a minimum price. This would eliminate the problem of distorting competition through unfair subsidies, which is why the duties were originally imposed.”
He also did not share Germany’s concerns about possible Chinese retaliation: Lange cited as an example the duties on Chinese electric bikes, which China objected to but then accepted.
On October 29, the EU announced a controversial decision to impose customs duties of up to 45.3 per cent on Chinese electric vehicles for at least five years.
On November 8, China’s Ministry of Commerce said that Beijing and Brussels had made progress in negotiations on a proposed plan for price commitments on Chinese electric cars.
