The European Commission sought an unprecedented amount of detailed information on Chinese carmakers' supply chains during its investigation into the country's subsidised electric vehicle imports, China's commerce ministry said on Thursday.
The commission, which oversees trade policy for the 27-nation strong EU, last week slapped extra duties on imported Chinese EVs after the probe, prompting a rebuke from Beijing and spying allegations from Chinese state media. China has also launched a dumping investigation into EU pork imports.
"The type, scope and quantity of information collected by the European side was unprecedented and far more than what is required for a countervailing duties investigation," He Yadong, a commerce ministry spokesperson, told a news conference.
He was responding to a question from Chinese state radio over whether Brussels had been seeking to spy on China's EV industry.
The commission "mandatorily required" Chinese carmakers to hand over information concerning sourcing raw materials for batteries, manufacturing components and pricing and developing sales channels, the spokesperson said.
Governments typically impose anti-subsidy duties on imported goods to protect domestic firms when they suspect the item can only have been produced for less than the market rate because it benefited from unfair incentives or handouts.
European carmakers are being challenged by an influx of lower cost EVs from Chinese rivals. The commission said prices are typically 20% below those of EU-made models.
Chinese carmakers that Brussels deemed non-cooperating companies, such as SAIC, will face a tariff of 38.1% once the provisional duties take effect, which is likely to be in July.
He Yadong called claims that Chinese car companies did not fully cooperate "groundless".
State media CCTV ran an article on Wednesday suggesting Brussels had sought to spy on Chinese car companies, given the "many unreasonable demands made during this inquiry".
China says EU mandated its EV firms to turn over ‘unprecedented’ amounts of data
Image: China Photos/Getty Images
The European Commission sought an unprecedented amount of detailed information on Chinese carmakers' supply chains during its investigation into the country's subsidised electric vehicle imports, China's commerce ministry said on Thursday.
The commission, which oversees trade policy for the 27-nation strong EU, last week slapped extra duties on imported Chinese EVs after the probe, prompting a rebuke from Beijing and spying allegations from Chinese state media. China has also launched a dumping investigation into EU pork imports.
"The type, scope and quantity of information collected by the European side was unprecedented and far more than what is required for a countervailing duties investigation," He Yadong, a commerce ministry spokesperson, told a news conference.
He was responding to a question from Chinese state radio over whether Brussels had been seeking to spy on China's EV industry.
The commission "mandatorily required" Chinese carmakers to hand over information concerning sourcing raw materials for batteries, manufacturing components and pricing and developing sales channels, the spokesperson said.
Governments typically impose anti-subsidy duties on imported goods to protect domestic firms when they suspect the item can only have been produced for less than the market rate because it benefited from unfair incentives or handouts.
European carmakers are being challenged by an influx of lower cost EVs from Chinese rivals. The commission said prices are typically 20% below those of EU-made models.
Chinese carmakers that Brussels deemed non-cooperating companies, such as SAIC, will face a tariff of 38.1% once the provisional duties take effect, which is likely to be in July.
He Yadong called claims that Chinese car companies did not fully cooperate "groundless".
State media CCTV ran an article on Wednesday suggesting Brussels had sought to spy on Chinese car companies, given the "many unreasonable demands made during this inquiry".
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