Chinese EV Industry Presses EU to Rethink Tariffs in Brussels Meeting

Representatives of the China Chamber of Commerce to the EU Auto Working Group met European Union officials on 16 July to discuss cooperation in the car industry, the chamber said in a statement. Executives from six Chinese companies, including electric-vehicle makers Nio, XPeng and smartphone-to-EV entrant Xiaomi, as well as battery supplier Eve Energy, took part in the talks. The chamber told EU counterparts that Brussels’ new tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles run counter to the bloc’s climate objectives and create additional policy risk for foreign investors. It added that Chinese manufacturers require fair market access and warned that wider trade tensions could influence future EU policy. Despite the concerns, the industry group said it expects “good results” from the ongoing China-EU discussions aimed at easing trade friction and fostering collaboration in the electric-vehicle sector.