- The China Chamber of Commerce to the EU has set up an automotive working group, and Nio's vice president for Europe, Zhang Hui, has been appointed as the group's first chairman.
- Companies in the automotive supply chain have been calling for such a group since the EU launched an anti-subsidy probe into Chinese EVs.
A new working group to promote China-EU cooperation in the automotive industry has been formed, and a Nio (NYSE: NIO) Europe executive will play a key role in it.
The China Chamber of Commerce to the EU (CCCEU) announced the establishment of the automotive working group on February 18 during the China-Portugal and China-EU Cooperation Development Forum held in Lisbon, Portugal, in a bid to strengthen cooperation between Chinese and European automakers, according to a Xinhua report yesterday.
Nio Europe vice president Zhang Hui was appointed by the CCCEU as the first chairman of the automotive working group, according to the report.
The working group will work to establish a platform for communication and collaboration between Chinese automakers in Europe, protect and promote their interests in Europe, and strengthen the ties between them and local partners, Zhang said.
The working group will be important platform "for Chinese automakers to voice their concerns, facilitate communication, and strengthen cooperation both internally and externally in Europe," Zhang said at the group's inauguration ceremony, according to a report in the Global Times.
Separately, Zhang shared the development on LinkedIn on Wednesday. "Yesterday marked an important step in fostering deeper collaboration between China and Europe's automotive industries: the official establishment of the China Chamber of Commerce to the EU (CCCEU) 欧盟中国商会 Automotive Working Group, with NIO becoming president of this initiative."
Zhang said this is the second automotive working group he has helped establish and the fourth specialized working group under the CCCEU. "This platform will help address the challenges arising from the global shift toward electrification and automated driving."
The automotive industry is highly globalized, yet market access is becoming increasingly complex due to geopolitical tensions, evolving trade policies, and stricter EU regulations, he said on LinkedIn.
With China producing 31 million vehicles in 2024 and Europe remaining a hub for R&D and talent, closer collaboration is key, Zhang said.
The CCCEU noted that companies in the automotive supply chain have been calling for the creation of such a working group since the EU launched its anti-subsidy probe into Chinese electric vehicles (EVs), hoping that it would be able to convey their voices and better support the companies involved in the European market, according to Global Times.
The establishment of the new working group will better help Chinese companies do business in the EU market, Wang Yiwei, director of the EU research center at the Renmin University of China, told Global Times on Wednesday.
It may also play a role in facilitating dialogue between the two sides over the proper resolution of the EU's additional tariffs on China-made EVs, Wang said.
The European Commission launched an anti-subsidy investigation on October 4, 2023, into imports of EVs originating from China, claiming they benefit from unfair Chinese subsidies that distort the European market.
On October 29 last year, the European Commission announced that it had closed the investigation and decided to move forward with the imposition of additional tariffs, but said it would continue to discuss price commitments.
The additional tariffs on top of the original 10 percent came into effect on October 30 last year, with different EV makers facing different rates.
Chinese automakers including Nio, Xpeng (NYSE: XPEV), BYD (HKG: 1211, OTCMKTS: BYDDY) and Zeekr (NYSE: ZK) are all expanding into the European market.
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