Chinese Central Television (CCTV) recently reported that the EU’s member states have voted to adopt the European Commission’s proposal to impose tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles. Ten EU members voted in favor, 12 members abstained, and 5 members — Germany, Hungary, Malta, Slovakia and Slovenia — voted against. According to EU rules, two conditions must be met for the proposal to be shelved: 15 members would have to vote against it, and the number of opponents to the proposal must comprise 65 percent of the total EU population.
The lead Chinese negotiator explained that “the reason why many EU member states voted in favor of imposing additional tariffs on China was to attempt to force Chinese companies to invest in Europe. China’s attitude is very clear – anyone who supports the tariff will lose investment.” The countries that voted in favor were: Italy, France, Poland, the Netherlands, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Bulgaria, and Denmark. “Among the nay-sayers, Germany has the loudest opposition, precisely because Germany has cooperated more with China in the automotive industry and has benefited more.”
Source: CCTV, October 5, 2024
https://news.cctv.com/2024/10/05/ARTIHFvkIDnFXtaubcg0SzWb241005.shtml