, Columnist
China’s Green Subsidies Are Good for Europe
Depriving European consumers of access to cheap Chinese electric vehicles will only make it harder to reach the continent’s climate goals.
Cheaper for everyone.
Photographer: Leonhard Simon/Getty Images
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The European Commission’s decision to investigate Chinese electric-vehicle subsidies might seem like a no-brainer. If penalties are imposed, as is likely, they would protect European automakers from a sudden surge in imports, while ensuring the continent doesn’t slip into a new, crippling dependency on China.
From the perspective of the climate, however — an issue that matters beyond Europe’s shores — we should at least question whether depriving European consumers of cheap Chinese EVs makes sense.