The European Commission is reportedly planning to impose compensatory tariffs on Chinese hybrid vehicles, according to a report by “Handelsblatt” that cites high-ranking EU officials and industry sources.
Three individuals involved told the publication that the investigation is already prepared, suggesting the EU Commission could quickly levy duties once a majority of EU member states give their approval. The intended target of these additional tariffs are vehicles from Chinese producers such as BYD, Chery, and SAIC.
Since mid-2024, the EU has already implemented anti-subsidy tariffs on subsidized Chinese electric cars. However, many Chinese manufacturers subsequently began exporting hybrid vehicles into the EU to circumvent these initial duties.
European industry also sees the need for action. “The Chinese were very agile; they quickly spotted and exploited the loopholes,” remarked one industrial manager, stressing that there was an open vulnerability which the EU must now address.
