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A majority of EU member states are fighting a plan for punitive import levies on Chinese solar panels, following outcry from installers.
At least 14 countries, including the UK, Germany and the Netherlands, are understood to have voted against moves by the European Commission to impose duties averaging 47 per cent.
The duties were proposed by EU trade commissioner Karel De Gucht in response to alleged “dumping” of solar panels by China – selling at below cost.
However, the solar industry says the move would threaten more jobs in installation than it would save in European manufacturing businesses.
Paul Barwell, chief executive of the UK’s Solar Trade Association, said: “The results of this vote send a strong signal to the European Commission that these duties would do much more damage than good to the European solar industry. If duties are imposed, panel prices will rise across the board, and consumers and installers alike will lose out. It makes no sense to safeguard 8,000 manufacturing jobs by sacrificing up to 200,000 jobs in the wider industry.”
The Commission could yet go ahead with the levy and is due to announce a decision on 5 June.
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