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European PV companies request the European Commission to stop taxing China
Abstract Over 30 European photovoltaic companies, representing more than 740 firms across the continent and over 65,000 jobs, have urgently called on the European Commission to "wake up" and reconsider its punitive tariffs on Chinese solar products. This plea was made during a special hearing held by the Commission, where industry leaders warned that these measures could cause further harm to the already struggling European PV sector. The hearing was organized at the request of the European Affordable Photovoltaics Alliance, which has been vocal in opposing the proposed duties. Just eight days before the meeting, one of Europe’s oldest solar companies, Görlitzer Solar, filed for bankruptcy. Industry insiders believe this was directly linked to the European Commission's temporary anti-dumping duties on Chinese solar panels, which have caused a sharp decline in market conditions. Torsten Proygshas, president of the European Association of Cheap PV, emphasized that the goal of the hearing was to urge the Commission to stop collecting these harmful tariffs, as they are leading to shrinking markets and job losses. He also hoped that the lessons from Görlitzer Solar’s collapse would prompt the Commission to act quickly. In early June, the EU announced a 11.8% temporary anti-dumping duty on Chinese PV products, with the possibility of increasing it to 47.6% if no compromise is reached by August 6. The decision sparked strong backlash from European PV firms, especially those in the upstream and downstream sectors. Many member states, including Germany and the UK, opposed the move. A European economic research institute recently highlighted that the tariffs could reduce demand for PV products, hurt job creation, and negatively impact European businesses that rely on Chinese imports. Proygshas noted that the tariffs have already led to canceled orders and layoffs in European companies, as rising prices have drastically reduced consumer demand. Dennis Giselle, CEO of Osko Mela Solar Solutions, criticized the Commission’s initial assessment, stating that it was based on data from only seven manufacturers and ignored the concerns of thousands of smaller companies. He added that most downstream firms operate on margins below 10%, making them highly vulnerable to price hikes. The Commission had previously suggested that the PV industry could shift to wind energy, but Giselle argued that this is unrealistic, given the specialized nature of solar work. After the closed-door hearing, Peter Desmet of Solar Bright Company told reporters that the industry presented extensive evidence to show how the tariffs are harming the European PV sector. While it remains unclear whether the hearing will influence the Commission’s final decision, some officials have hinted that further investigations into the impact on consumer companies may be conducted soon.