The European Commission has told the three Chinese electric carmakers it’s investigating over state subsidies that they haven’t provided enough information, according to letters seen by POLITICO, a warning that could pave the way for tougher European Union fines.
The letters, addressed to EV makers BYD, SAIC and Geely and all dated April 23, reach the same conclusion: that the trio did not provide enough information on subsidies, operations and supply chains.
Working without these inputs, the Commission says, means it will need to revert to the concept of “facts available.” This usually means, in practice, that it has a free hand to slap higher duties on the imported products.
The correspondence indicates that the trade investigation, launched by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen last year, could be heading toward a harsh outcome as Brussels steps up action to keep increasingly dominant Chinese makers of green tech — from EVs to solar panels, to wind turbines — at bay.