On July 5, SAIC Group announced that it will request the European Commission to hold a hearing on China’s temporary anti-subsidy measures for electric vehicles to protect its own legitimate rights and the interests of global customers. This is to further exercise its right to defense in accordance with the law.
The defense includes: the EU’s anti-subsidy investigation involves sensitive business information, such as the request for cooperation to provide chemical formulas related to batteries, beyond the normal scope of investigation. The EU’s determination of subsidies is incorrect, such as including the new energy vehicle purchase subsidies for domestic consumers in the subsidy rate calculation for sales in the EU. The EU ignored some information and defense opinions submitted by SAIC during the investigation, and, based on Article 28 of the Anti-subsidy Basic Regulation, made unfavorable presumptions under the so-called “non-cooperation with the investigation”, artificially inflating the subsidy rates of multiple projects. The global automotive industry is accelerating into a new era of electrification and intelligence. Over the past decade, SAIC has invested nearly 150 billion yuan in research and development, accumulated more than 26,000 valid patents, successfully launched the internationally leading “Seven Technology Platforms”, and built core technological competitiveness for intelligent electric new race track, which is the fundamental reason why SAIC MG sells well in Europe. SAIC opposes the artificial setting of trade barriers for new energy vehicles and calls for a fair competitive market order. Through open dialogue and cooperation, both China and Europe can accelerate the consolidation of innovative forces and jointly build a global green and low-carbon economy.