The European Union will limit imports of Chinese hybrid cars to 350,000 units per year, to the extent that it can enter into force as early as next December.
© Shutterstock
12/10/2026
by
Lusa
A European Union (EU) will limit imports of chinese hybrid cars to 350 thousand units per yearAs it may enter into force on December 1, Bloomberg reported today.
The decision is part of the understandings reached during the visit to Beijing last week by European Trade Commissioner Maros Sefcovic.
According to a document detailing the plan that Bloomberg had access to, the limit of 350 thousand vehicles will be applied during the first year of the measure commercial safeguards, then increasing at an annual rate of six percent.
Limits for four years and not only China
Restrictions should be maintained for four years, period in which both parties undertake to comply with the rules of the World Trade Organisation (WTO).
The project provides for the application of limits to all imports of hybrid cars, not just those from China, to respect the principle of non-discrimination of the WTO. The quota allocated to China “will not be lower” than that of any other country exporting hybrid vehicles.
The measure will cover both conventional hybrid vehicles and rechargeable hybrids.
By contrast, china will eliminate tariffs on some car parts and will halve the customs duties applied to footwear, ice cream and olive oil.
These temporary reductions will cover European exports valued at around EUR 4,000 million.
The understanding of hybrid cars was reached after last week’s visit to Beijing by the European Trade Commissioner to “rebalance” trade relations between the EU and China.
At a press conference held on Friday, following meetings with Chinese Trade Minister Wang Wentao and Deputy Prime Minister He Lifeng, Sefcovic said that the agreement would prevent the entry of “several million” Chinese cars into the European market for four years.
The European Commissioner did not then reveal the details of the mechanism to achieve this reduction, explaining that he first needed to present the parameters to the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, the Member States and European leaders.
Unsustainable trade relations
The proposal should be examined at the European Council on 15 and 16 October.
“ We know what the result is and we know how to get there”, said Sefcovic, who ensured that the understanding was negotiated “in great detail”.
The Commissioner added that Brussels could start working on implementing the measures “as soon as possible” as soon as it obtains the necessary political support.
The EU considers the current trade relations with Beijing unsustainable, due to an annual deficit of around eur 360 billion and the increasing pressure of chinese industrial exports on various sectors of the european economy.
China rejects these accusations and accuses Brussels to politicise trade differences.