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European Commission imposes duties on Chinese solar panels
Edited by : AL CIRCLE
2 min read
The European Commission on Tuesday imposed anti-dumping duties on imports of Chinese solar panels, defying German-led opposition and dire warnings from Beijing the move could spark a trade war.
The European Commission has decided unanimously to impose (punitive) tariffs” on Chinese solar panels, after finding they were being sold at up to 88 percent below cost in the European market, EU Trade Commissioner Karel De Gucht said.
De Gucht said it “is clear that the dumping” is harming the European solar panel industry, with 25,000 jobs threatened as Chinese firms take 80 percent of the market.
Accordingly, the commission would levy an initial average tariff of 11.8 percent starting Thursday and rising to 47.6 percent on August 6 in the absence of negotiations based on a Chinese commitment to addressing the problem.
“I want a fair solution with China,” De Gucht said, adding that Tuesday’s decision opened the way to talks, if Beijing wanted them.
“The ball is now in China’s court.”
The commissioner insisted that the measures were not protectionist but rather within the EU’s rights under international trade law to protect its interests.
China has solar panel production capacity equal to 150 percent of world demand, he said, and that meant they were manufacturing too much.
The tariffs are provisional for six months, with EU member states having a vote in December on whether to make them permanent or not.
The European Commission has decided unanimously to impose (punitive) tariffs” on Chinese solar panels, after finding they were being sold at up to 88 percent below cost in the European market, EU Trade Commissioner Karel De Gucht said.
De Gucht said it “is clear that the dumping” is harming the European solar panel industry, with 25,000 jobs threatened as Chinese firms take 80 percent of the market.
Accordingly, the commission would levy an initial average tariff of 11.8 percent starting Thursday and rising to 47.6 percent on August 6 in the absence of negotiations based on a Chinese commitment to addressing the problem.
“I want a fair solution with China,” De Gucht said, adding that Tuesday’s decision opened the way to talks, if Beijing wanted them.
“The ball is now in China’s court.”
The commissioner insisted that the measures were not protectionist but rather within the EU’s rights under international trade law to protect its interests.
China has solar panel production capacity equal to 150 percent of world demand, he said, and that meant they were manufacturing too much.
The tariffs are provisional for six months, with EU member states having a vote in December on whether to make them permanent or not.
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