Electric cars vote puts EU-China relations to the test

Good morning from Brussels,

Despite earlier statements by EU Commission officials and Chinese automakers claiming that “progress” had been made in talks, member states are expected on Friday to approve the EU's proposed duties on China-made electric vehicles (EVs).

To prevent the tariffs from being imposed for five years, a 'qualified majority' of 15 member states, representing 65% of the EU’s population, would need to vote against them.

Under pressure from the domestic industry, Germany is set to vote against it while Spain may abstain.

According to experts, Beijing’s diplomacy throughout this period, focusing on larger countries to prevent tariffs, was insufficient, and the Chinese should have talked more to smaller EU players to reach a qualified majority.

Euractiv’s Thomas Moller-Nielsen analyses the EU countries’ vote intentions and the next day of EU-China trade.

With support from far-right forces, the European Parliament’s centre-right EPP group has barred environmental lawmakers from grilling the new agriculture and fisheries commissioners, leaving progressives furious. Also, read EU lawmakers’ “knives in” approach before the upcoming hearings.

Moreover, listen to today’s podcast, which focuses on the JURI Committee, which is currently scrutinising financial declarations to identify potential conflicts of interest of candidate commissioners.

On foreign matters, look at an interview with Georgia’s President Salome Zourabishvili, who said the EU should keep its options open to respond to a possible deterioration of Georgia's domestic situation but expressed her confidence that pro-European forces will prevail.

Last but not least, the COP16, due to take place in Colombia later this month, will focus on biodiversity financing.

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ROME

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MADRID

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LISBON

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WARSAW

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BRATISLAVA

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BUDAPEST

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BUCHAREST

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[Edited by Sarantis Michalopoulos, Daniel Eck, Martina Monti, Alice Taylor-Braçe]