China, EU agree to end EV tariff disputes with minimum price pledge, ministry says

China and the European Union agreed to resolve disputes over tariffs on China-made electric vehicles with Chinese carmakers pledging to sell EVs in the trade bloc above minimum prices, according to a spokesperson for China’s Ministry of Commerce. 

The agreement was reached after Wang Wentao, minister of commerce, held talks with Valdis Dombrovskis, the European Commission’s executive vice president and commissioner for trade, in Brussels on Sept. 19, the spokesperson said at a briefing in Beijing on Sept. 26.

“Technical teams on both sides are now negotiating on a flexible price commitment plan” and “making every effort to reach a consensus on the solution framework before the final ruling” by the EU on EV tariffs, the spokesperson said.

The European Commission on June 12 proposed tariffs of up to 38.1 percent on EVs imported from China. 

The tariffs were adjusted by the commission last month. Following the adjustment, tariffs on EV imports from Chinese companies BYD Co., Geely Automobile Holdings and SAIC Motor Corp. were marginally lowered. 

The commission is due to finalize the tariffs by Oct. 30.