Overview
- On January 12, the European Commission published guidelines allowing Chinese electric‑vehicle exporters to propose minimum import prices per model as an alternative to the additional anti‑subsidy duties.
- Proposed minimums must match either the prior import price including current duties or prices of comparable non‑subsidised EU models, with each offer assessed for practicality, equivalence to tariffs and fraud risks under WTO rules.
- Volkswagen submitted the first concrete offer in December for a China‑built model under its group, and the Commission has begun a review that could take up to a year.
- China’s Ministry of Commerce and the Chinese Chamber in Brussels welcomed the guidance as a positive signal, while the Commission stressed these are only guidelines and reports indicate consumers should not expect immediate price cuts.
- A CAR study finds large China‑to‑Germany EV price gaps, and its director expects Chinese export pressure to push European prices lower over the next few years but argues the minimum‑price approach will not reduce prices now.