In Brussels
After electric cars and rail, Brussels is targeting Chinese solar panels which are flooding the European market. The Commission announced on Wednesday that it had launched in-depth investigations targeting Chinese companies, members of two consortiums applying for the construction and operation of a photovoltaic park in Romania, with an installed capacity of 110 MW, partially financed by the EU.
In the viewfinder, a German subsidiary of the Chinese giant Longi, the world's leading manufacturer of photovoltaic cells, and two others controlled by the Chinese state group Shanghai Electric.
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“Preserving European economic security”
They are suspected of having benefited from subsidies, contrary to the new rules which came into force in 2023. “
These investigations aim to preserve the economic security and competitiveness of Europe, by ensuring that companies in our single market are truly competitive and play according to the rules
,” explained Internal Market Commissioner Thierry Breton.
The preliminary investigations – which must be completed within four months by the Commission – have triggered the ire of Beijing. “
We reiterate our opposition to the excessive discretionary power granted to the European Commission under the Foreign Subsidies Regulation
,” the Chinese Chamber of Commerce in the EU responded in a statement. She says she is “
seriously concerned
” by these investigations and expresses her “
serious dissatisfaction with (…) the use of this regulation as a new tool of economic coercion
” in green technologies.