BERLIN, Feb 25 (Reuters) - BMW and the European Commission are in talks about a possible minimum pricing model that could replace EU tariffs on the German carmaker's Chinese-made Mini electric vehicles, Germany's Handelsblatt business daily reported on Tuesday.
This follows an agreement struck between Brussels and Volkswagen earlier in February, under which the group's SEAT/Cupra brand secured a tariff exemption for its all-electric Tavascan SUV coupe following months of discussions.
Similar deals
could follow, with Chinese carmakers also thought to be eyeing exemptions for their EU-bound EVs.
BMW and Brussels are negotiating a solution involving a minimum import price, Handelsblatt reported, citing two people familiar with the matter.
The European Commission declined to comment on any ongoing talks.
"As we have said on previous occasions, the door remains open for undertaking offers, either submitted jointly by groups of companies or by individual companies, provided that they adequately address the effect of Chinese subsidisation, are practicable, and mitigate the risk of cross-compensation," a Commission spokesperson said.
A BMW spokesperson declined to comment on the report.
BMW is separately challenging the EU tariffs in a legal case with other carmakers.
The EU imposed tariffs on China-made EVs at the end of October 2024 after an anti-subsidy investigation. The rate for BMW, which manufactures the electric Mini Cooper and the electric Mini Aceman in China, is 20.7%.
(Additional reporting by Philip Blenkinsop in BrusselsReporting by Rachel More and Christina AmannEditing by Madeline Chambers and Elaine Hardcastle)
