By Andreas Rinke
FRANKFURT (Reuters) -Germany will vote on Friday against introducing European Union tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles, people with knowledge of the matter told Reuters on Thursday.
Germany abstained in a first non-binding vote in July on the European Commission's proposal to impose the tariffs, but the industry has since pressured German Chancellor Olaf Scholz to vote against the measure in Friday's vote among the member states of the European Union.
The Commission's proposal can be implemented unless a qualified majority of 15 EU members, representing 65% of the EU population, votes against it, which is a very high hurdle.
Reuters reported on Wednesday that France, Greece, Italy and Poland will vote in favor, which would be enough to push through the EU's highest-profile trade measures.
A German government spokesman declined to comment.
The Commission says the tariffs are necessary to counter cheap loans, land and raw materials and other subsidies, and the goal is to level the playing field, not exclude Chinese automakers, as the 100% tariff is likely to do. % planned by the United States.
German carmakers, which made a third of their sales last year in China, oppose tariffs. They are worried about retaliatory measures and fear a trade conflict with the country's second largest trading partner.
IG Metall, Germany's powerful union, and employee representatives from the country's major automakers said in a statement Thursday that Germany should vote against the tariffs.
“We say unequivocally: tariffs are the wrong approach because they will not improve the competitiveness of the European car industry,” they said in a joint statement.
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