The Chamber of Commerce called the tariffs “unfair” and a “protectionist approach.”
A group representing Chinese companies said on Tuesday that the European Commission's plan to impose import duties of up to 38% on Chinese electric vehicles was “unfair” and would increase trade tensions.
The Chinese Chamber of Commerce to the EU (CCCEU) “expresses its strong dissatisfaction and firm opposition to the EU's protectionist approach,” the group said in a statement.
“The European Commission’s unfair use of trade instruments to impede free trade in electric vehicles, coupled with this protectionist approach, will ultimately weaken the resilience of the European electric vehicle industry,” the group said.
“This will increase trade tensions between China and the EU, sending an extremely negative signal to global cooperation and green development,” the department warned.
ALSO READ: China prepares to appeal EU tariff hike on electric vehicles
Last month, Brussels imposed steep preliminary tariffs of up to 38% on Chinese electric vehicles, on top of current 10% duties, after an anti-subsidy investigation found they unfairly undercut European rivals.
On Tuesday, the Commission published a draft plan under which those tariffs would become final, with slightly revised rates, subject to proposals from interested parties by the end of August and approval by EU member states by the end of October.
A European Commission spokesman said the EU leadership was still “open” to resolving the dispute without imposing tariffs, but the ball was in China's court to come up with an alternative solution.
“The EU's preliminary ruling has no factual and legal basis, seriously violates WTO rules and undermines the overall situation of global cooperation in combating climate change,” a Chinese Commerce Ministry spokesman said in a statement earlier this month.
“We call on the EU to immediately correct its wrong actions and jointly maintain the stability of China-EU economic and trade cooperation as well as the supply chain and production of electric vehicles.”
In a subsequent denial, an EU spokesman told AFP: “The EU is carefully examining all the details of this request and will respond to the actions of the Chinese authorities in due course in accordance with WTO procedures.”
NOW READ: EU set to impose 38% tax on Chinese electric cars from July