Readout of video call between EVP Dombrovskis and Chinese Commerce Minister Wang

At the initiative of the European Commission’s Executive Vice-President and Commissioner for Trade Valdis Dombrovskis, a video call took place today between him and the Chinese Minister of Commerce Wang Wentao on the EU investigation on imports of battery electric vehicles (BEVs) from China and on ongoing negotiations about price undertakings.

The principals took stock of the progress made during eight technical negotiating rounds, as well as significant remaining gaps. They reaffirmed their political commitment to finding a mutually agreeable solution, which would need to be effective in addressing the level playing field in the EU market and WTO-compatible. The principals agreed that further technical negotiations would take place shortly.

The EU side also emphasised that according to WTO rules the possibility to offer price undertakings is open to the different companies participating in investigation and therefore the Commission’s negotiations with the China Chamber of Commerce for Import and Export of Machinery and Electronic Products (CCCME) do not exclude discussions with individual exporters. 

Finally, EVP Dombrovskis raised concerns about the ongoing Chinese anti-dumping case against brandy and the initiations on pork and dairy, which the EU side finds unsubstantiated.