EU to challenge China’s import restrictions at WTO

Bottles of cognac on display in Paris, January 21, 2019. BENOIT TESSIER / REUTERS The European Commission announced on Tuesday October 8 that it would challenge before the World Trade Organization (WTO) Chinese measures against cognac imports adopted after the EU’s decision to impose surcharges on electric cars made in China. “We consider these measures to be unfounded and we are determined to defend European industry against the abusive use of trade defense instruments,” said a spokesperson, Olof Gill. “The European Commission will challenge at the WTO the announced imposition of provisional anti-dumping measures by China on cognac imports from the EU,” he explained. China will require importers of European cognac to post a bond with Chinese customs from Friday, following the EU’s decision to impose up to 35% additional customs duties on imports of electric cars imported from China. Read also | Article reserved for our subscribers China is putting pressure on Europe to stop overtaxing imports of Chinese electric cars Add to your selections “We are never worried” These announcements come against a backdrop of rising tensions between China and the European Union (EU), an essential trading partner for the Asian giant. The European Commissioner for the Economy, Paolo Gentiloni, appeared calm in the face of Beijing’s announcements. “We are never worried,” he said at a press conference in Luxembourg. The aim of EU measures against Chinese electric car imports is to restore a level playing field with manufacturers accused of profiting from massive public subsidies. Read also | Article reserved for our subscribers China still poses the threat of heavy taxation of cognac Add to your selections “We are reasonable. We carried out a serious investigation, (…) we took appropriate and very proportionate decisions, and I do not think that there is the slightest reason to react to these proportionate decisions with reprisals, ”said Mr. Gentiloni. Le Monde with AFP Reuse this content



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