The EU Commission has opened an investigation once morest two Chinese solar manufacturers. There is “sufficient evidence” that both companies “received foreign subsidies that distort the internal market,” the Commission said on Wednesday in Brussels. The tender for the construction and operation of a solar park in Romania is being specifically examined.
On the one hand, the investigations concern the German subsidiary Longi Solar Technologie GmbH of the Chinese solar group Longi Green Energy Technology, which submitted an offer together with the Romanian company Enevo. In the second case, the Commission is investigating the offer from two subsidiaries of the Chinese state-owned company Shanghai Electric Group.
Brussels is investigating whether state subsidies have allowed manufacturers to “make an unreasonably favorable offer”, which might lead to unfair competition. If the allegations are confirmed, the authority might ban companies from accessing public tenders in the EU or demand compensatory measures. A result should be available in three to four months.
“Fair competition is fundamental to attract research and investment to the European solar market,” said EU Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager. Since last year, companies have had to provide information on government subsidies from abroad when they apply for major public tenders in the EU.
“We are deeply concerned regarding the repeated investigations once morest Chinese companies,” the Chinese Chamber of Commerce representative in Brussels said on Wednesday. “This situation distorts the competitive conditions for Chinese companies operating in the EU,” the chamber continued. The EU is creating “excessive burdens” for companies.
