The European Commission said on Friday it had received enough support in a vote of EU members to impose tariffs of up to 45% on imports of Chinese-made electric vehicles in the bloc’s highest profile trade case, risking retaliation from Beijing.
The Commission, which oversees the bloc’s trade policy, has proposed final duties for the next five years to counter what it sees as unfair Chinese subsidies after a year-long anti-subsidy investigation.
In a vote on Friday, 10 EU members backed tariffs and five voted against, with 12 abstentions, EU sources said.
It would have taken opposition from a qualified majority of 15 EU members, representing 65% of the EU population, to block the proposal. Reuters reported on Wednesday that the measure was likely to pass with France, Greece, Italy and Poland planning to vote in favour.
The EU executive said it had obtained “the necessary support” to adopt the tariffs, although it would continue talks with Beijing to find an alternative solution.
The region’s biggest economy and major car producer, Germany, voted against the proposal, sources said on Friday.
