Illustration: Chen Xia/Global Times

EU's latest decision on customs registration of electric vehicle (EV) imports from China is not conducive to deepening cooperation between the new-energy industries of China and EU, which will impact the interests of European consumers, the Ministry of Commerce of China (MOFCOM) said on Thursday.

The adoption of EV import registration measures and possible retrospective taxation by EU will complicate the import process and adds a burden to normal trade exchange, He Yadong, a spokesperson for MOFCOM, said on Thursday at a regular press briefing.

The remarks came after EU's move last week that subjected Chinese-made EVs to a special customs registration process.

"We have noted the EU's recent customs regulations on imported Chinese EVs. China is concerned about this, and the EV industry has expressed great concern about the possible retroactive taxation measures taken by EU in the future," said He.

China's EV enterprises have said that the country's EV export volume to the EU is in line with the changes in the EU market, and there is no so-called "skyrocketing import of Chinese EVs" and "damage" to the EU market, the spokesperson said.

According to data released by the European Commission, between October 2023 and January 2024, EU imported 177,839 Chinese EVs. Compared with the coverage period of the "countervailing investigation" (from October 2022 to September 2023), the average monthly import volume increased by 11 percent.

Visitors inspect vehicles at the booth of Chinese manufacturer BYD at the Open Space of the IAA 2023 auto show in Munich, Germany on September 5, 2023. Photo: VCG

In comparison, EV sales in EU surged by 62 percent from July 2022 to July 2023, according to data from European Automobile Manufacturers Association (ACEA).

In 2023, EV sales in EU surpassed 1.5 million units, soaring by an impressive 37 percent year-on-year and command close to a 15 percent market share, according to a ACEA released in February.

The recent increase of Chinese EV imports to EU reflected increasing demand for EVs in Europe, and underscored Chinese car companies' commitment to fostering the European market, the China Chamber of Commerce to the EU (CCCEU) said in a statement sent to the Global Times on March 7.

The MOFCOM spokesperson also noted that China is committed to addressing each other's concerns through dialogue and consultation to achieve mutual benefit and win-win results.

"We hope that the EU side will prudently use trade remedy measures to create a more stable and healthier environment for the development of the EV industry in China and Europe."

China will continue to monitor and follow-up actions taken by EU and firmly safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese enterprises, the spokesperson said.

"We earnestly hope that the European side will protect the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese enterprises and establish a fair, impartial and non-discriminatory business environment for them," the CCCEU statement said. This, in turn, will facilitate "our joint contribution to the global low-carbon and green transformation," the chamber noted.

Some analysts predicted that the EU is moving to adopting new protectionist measures such as imposing punitive tariffs on Chinese EVs.

The analysts noted that some critics in EU never mention that Chinese EVs sold in the EU are about twice as expensive as those sold in China, but they repeatedly claim Chinese EVs sold in the EU market "have a clear price advantage over those made by local manufacturers."

Global Times