EU to vote on China solar duties

Trade officials from all 27 EU member states will review proposals to slap import tariffs on Chinese solar panels on Wednesday. If passed, the EU duties will come into effect once the commission publishes the decision in its Official Journal, and will impose punitive tariffs at an average of 47 percent on imports from China.

The tax was proposed by the European Commission last week. The commission started its anti-dumping investigation last September, after EU producers complained Chinese companies were dominating the market. EU producers say Chinese companies have captured more than 80 percent of the European market from almost zero a few years ago, because of much cheaper prices.