Chinese green imports

Global rules for a greener economy

Letters to the Editor. Illustration: Paul Scott
The Irish Times - Letters to the Editor.

A chara, – John FitzGerald’s assessment of the potential impact on the EU of Chinese green imports (“We should not fear cheap green Chinese technology”, Business, April 26th) misses the point.

The European Commission, which implements EU trade policy on behalf of EU member states, welcomes the global trade of green goods and technologies – indeed we are leading the way in making such trade easier, working with our global partners.

What we do not welcome, however, is the unhindered import of goods and technologies which have benefited from unfair competition, thus placing EU industry at an unfair disadvantage. We support global green trade, we encourage competition, but both must be fair.

Suggesting in a blasé fashion that electric cars “are not strategic products” is risible: the automotive sector is of systemic importance for the EU economy, providing 13 million jobs and accounting for 7 per cent of total employment.

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The commission has launched an anti-subsidy investigation into Chinese electric vehicles to ensure that Chinese automakers follow the same global rules as EU producers.

With a truly level playing field, everyone wins, and the green transformation of our economies can flourish. – Is mise le meas,

OLOF GILL,

Spokesperson for Trade & Agriculture.

Sir, – May I concur with John FitzGerald’s article in Friday’s Business This Week?

For the sake of our common good, we need to embrace the Chinese technology feats to enable our world to survive global warming.

Our children deserve it. – Yours, etc,

PAUL DORAN,

Dublin 22.