LEVA-EU Calls for Market Surveillance

Text: Wheel Giant Inc.

The European Commission has decided to extend anti-dumping and countervailing duties on electric bicycles (e-bikes) imported from China for another five years. This decision follows an expiry review investigation and is in line with expectations. The remaining imports from China mostly consist of extremely low-cost e-bikes, prompting LEVA-EU to call for enhanced market surveillance.

The Commission extended the measures based on three main reasons:

Ongoing Subsidies: Chinese manufacturers continue to benefit from substantial government subsidies, creating unfair competition within the EU market.

Risk of Recurrence: Removing the duties could lead to a resurgence of harm to the EU e-bike industry, as low-priced, subsidized imports may threaten local production and employment.

EU Strategic Interests: Retaining the measures aligns with the EU’s broader economic goals, including promoting innovation and sustainable transportation.

However, LEVA-EU argues that current trade measures inadvertently facilitate the entry of non-compliant, low-cost e-bikes that fail to meet EU technical standards, posing safety risks. LEVA-EU also highlights issues with component duties that complicate the production of e-bikes in Europe, urging the EU to remove these barriers to foster growth and innovation.

Annick Roetynck, Managing Director of LEVA-EU, emphasized: "Robust market surveillance, not trade defense, is the only sustainable way forward. By addressing these critical issues, the EU can support a thriving and competitive electric cycle industry while ensuring safety and compliance for consumers."

Annick Roetynck, Managing Director of LEVA-EU.