The EU's provisional tariffs will apply from July 5 for a maximum period of four months. Within this timeframe, a final decision on the definitive tariffs must be made through a vote by EU member states.

The European Union will start imposing provisional countervailing duties on imports of electric vehicles (EVs) from China from July 5, emphasizing that negotiations with China are continuing.

"Today, nine months after the initiation of an ex officio anti-subsidy investigation, the European Commission has imposed provisional countervailing duties on imports of battery electric vehicles (BEVs) from China," a statement said.

Compared to the rates pre-disclosed on June 12, the provisional duties were adjusted slightly downwards based on comments on the accuracy of the calculations submitted by interested parties, the European Commission said.

Specifically, the individual tariffs applicable to the three sampled Chinese producers are:

BYD: 17.4 percent;

Geely: 19.9 percent;

SAIC: 37.6 percent.

Other Chinese BEV producers that cooperated in the investigation but were not sampled are subject to a weighted average tariff of 20.8 percent. The tariff for other non-cooperating companies is 37.6 percent.

These provisional duties will apply from July 5, 2024 for a maximum period of four months.

Within this timeframe, a final decision on the definitive duties must be taken through a vote of the EU member states. When adopted, this decision would make the duties definitive for a period of five years.

The European Commission formally opened a countervailing investigation on October 4, 2023, into imports of EVs originating in China.

On June 12, the European Commission pre-disclosed the level of provisional countervailing duties to be imposed on imports of BEVs from China.

Among the pre-disclosed duty rates are 17.4 percent for BYD, 20 percent for Geely and 38.1 percent for SAIC.

It was 21 percent for other Chinese BEV producers that cooperated in the investigation but have not been sampled, and 38.1 percent for other BEV producers in China which did not cooperate in the investigation.

The EU said it continues to engage with China at the technical level with a view to reaching a WTO-compliant solution that fully addresses the concerns raised by the EU.

Any negotiated outcome of the investigation must effectively address what the EU calls the injurious forms of subsidization identified, according to today's statement.

On June 22, China's Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) said in a brief statement that the country and the EU agreed to initiate consultations on the countervailing subsidy investigation.

Earlier today, a MOFCOM spokesperson for said at a press conference that China and the EU have held several rounds of consultations at the technical level so far.

With a four-month window before the final ruling, China hopes the EU will show its sincerity, press ahead with the consultation process and reach a mutually acceptable solution based on facts and rules as soon as possible, the MOFCOM spokesperson said.

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