Key facts
- Saxony's economy minister, Dirk Panter, proposed higher EU tariffs on Chinese-made cars.
- Panter suggested these tariffs could pressure Chinese automakers into forming joint ventures.
- He believes such partnerships would create value and employment in Europe.
- Volkswagen has considered closing German factories, including one in Saxony.
- Volkswagen CEO Oliver Blume has floated the idea of partnerships with Chinese carmakers.
Dirk Panter, the economy minister for the German state of Saxony, has suggested that the European Union should consider imposing higher tariffs on cars manufactured in China. In an interview with the Bild newspaper, Panter stated that such a move could increase pressure on Chinese automakers to form partnerships with European manufacturers, specifically mentioning Volkswagen.
Panter's comments come amid threats from Volkswagen to close four of its German factories in the coming years, including the all-electric Zwickau plant located in Saxony, if alternative solutions are not identified. Volkswagen CEO Oliver Blume has previously indicated that options could include producing the group's China-developed models within Europe or establishing partnerships with Chinese car companies.
"If a joint venture in Saxony could help avoid European tariffs, that would be a bargaining chip that would allow us to negotiate from a completely different position," Panter told Bild. He emphasized that the goal is not to exclude Chinese manufacturers from the European market but to ensure they take responsibility for value creation and employment in Europe, particularly as companies like BYD expand their presence with popular plug-in hybrid models not currently subject to EU tariffs on all-electric vehicles.