Mercedes-Benz's Chief Executive, Ola Kallenius, urged Brussels on Tuesday to decrease tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles (EVs).
"Don't raise tariffs. I'm a contrarian. I think we should go the other way around: take the tariffs that we have and reduce them," Kallenius told the Financial Times, warning against the adverse effects of protectionism on innovation and competition within the European car industry.
The call for reduced tariffs comes as the European Commission investigates Beijing's subsidies to Chinese car manufacturers. These subsidies could potentially allow them to offer lower prices in Europe, undercutting local manufacturers.
