Brussels: The European Union condemned the tariffs announced by China on certain European dairy products. European Commission spokesperson Olof Gill told reporters that the new Chinese measures are "unjustified and not based on sound grounds."
According to Kuwait News Agency, the Chinese Ministry of Commerce announced these "temporary" tariffs, which will range between 21.9 percent and 42.7 percent, set to come into effect on Tuesday. The tariffs will impact a wide range of products, particularly fresh and processed cheeses, blue cheeses, and certain types of milk and cream. Beijing claims these products benefit from European subsidies, which allegedly cause significant harm to Chinese competitors.
The Chinese measures are linked to an investigation launched by Chinese authorities in August 2024 into the support received by the European cheese industry. The investigation connects EU subsidies to "serious damage" inflicted on the domestic dairy sector in China.
The Commission spokesperson assured that the EU is taking all necessary steps to defend European farmers and exporters against what he termed "China's arbitrary use of trade defence measures." He recalled that the Commission had already brought this issue to the World Trade Organization. He further described the situation as "a very negative development" in EU-China relations.
According to the European Commission, Beijing plans to conclude its investigation into the European dairy sector in February, at which time the measures could become permanent. However, Brussels is actively seeking to persuade China to reverse the tariffs.