France, Greece, Italy and Poland will vote on Friday for tariffs of up to 45% on imports of electric vehicles (EVs) made in China, officials and sources said, enough to get the European Union proposal passed in a move likely to increase trade tensions with Beijing.
The European Commission, which is conducting an anti-subsidy investigation into EVs made in China, has sent its proposal for final tariffs to the EU’s 27 member states ahead of a vote expected on Friday.
Under EU rules, the Commission can impose final or “definitive” tariffs for the next five years unless a qualified majority of 15 EU countries representing 65% of the EU’s population votes against the plan.
France, Greece, Italy and Poland will vote in favour, officials and sources of those countries said. Together, they represent 39% of the EU population.
Interesting how a 35% minority can impose sanctions
Not really all that strange. I’m not up on how this particular vote went but if 39% is in favor only 23% needs to abstain for the ‘against’ vote to be in the minority. Also counting by percentage of the total population is misleading and kind of dumb, we’re never going to have individual referenda for this type of decision making and thank god for that. That’s how we got Brexit.
Aside this form of Musk style “interesting 🤔” rhetoric really raises my hackles.