China has initiated a dispute complaint regarding the European Union's definitive duties on electric vehicles. China argues that the EU's determination, which cites alleged Chinese programs as countervailable subsidies, appears to be inconsistent with various provisions of the World Trade Organization's (WTO) Agreement on Subsidies and Countervailing Measures (SCM) and Article VI of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) 1994. Additionally, China claims that the EU acted in a manner inconsistent with these agreements.
Further details are available in document WT/DS630/1.
This move follows a separate request for consultations filed by China on August 9 concerning the same investigation and provisional countervailing duties imposed by the EU on imports of battery electric vehicles (BEVs) from China, under case DS626.
A request for consultations is a formal step that initiates a dispute within the WTO framework. It provides an opportunity for parties to discuss issues and seek resolutions without resorting to litigation. If after 60 days consultations do not resolve the dispute, the complainant may seek adjudication by a panel.