BMW CEO Opposes EU Tariffs on Chinese Cars, Backs Voluntary Pricing Agreements

BMW CEO Milan Nedeljkovic said he opposes additional European Union tariffs on low-cost Chinese car imports, favoring voluntary pricing agreements instead, according to an interview published Sept. 22 in FAZ. "Some Chinese cars are being offered here at prices that are not comprehensible from a business perspective," Nedeljkovic said, warning this risks fueling protectionist tendencies in Europe. The EU is assessing measures to address what Commission President Ursula von der Leyen calls an "unsustainable" trade deficit with China. Some European auto executives and politicians have called for local content rules and expanded tariffs to cover plug-in hybrids from China. Nedeljkovic urged political dialogue with China toward a common understanding of market-based pricing, saying "additional tariffs would constitute an even greater intervention." BMW, which builds its all-electric Mini in China for export, has repeatedly criticized current EU duties on Chinese EV imports.