European Union officials say the duties are meant to protect the region’s automakers from what they say are unfair trade practices in China.
The European Union is expected to support wielding tariffs on electric vehicles made in China, seeking to prevent unfair competition.
A Rio Tinto mine that Europe sees as a critical source for electric vehicle batteries has been the target of enormous protests. “I don’t need green cars. I need green apples and green grass,” said one opponent.
The European Union took the next step toward collecting heavy tariffs on electric vehicles, ahead of a final decision in October.
As the European Union moves to impose tariffs on Chinese cars, Germany, with an auto industry deeply enmeshed with China, is stuck in the middle.
Acting quickly after the European Union imposed extra tariffs of up to 38 percent on China’s electric cars, Beijing opened a trade case on Europe’s pork.
The tariffs have been expected for months, but many European automakers warned they will drive up prices for consumers and set off a trade war with China.
Leaders in Brussels are trying to curb China’s dominance in the industry, but European automakers fear the taxes will drive up prices and lead to a trade war.
Treasury Secretary Janet L. Yellen warned that China’s industrial strategy posed a global threat that requires a united response.
Ursula Von der Leyen, the European Commission president, pushed Beijing to help rein in Russia’s war in Ukraine after meeting with the Chinese and French leaders in Paris.