{
  "id": 10276429,
  "title": "Britain to keep tariffs on Chinese EVs ‘under review,’ UK business chief says",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/27/britain-to-keep-tariffs-on-chinese-evs-under-review-uk-business-chief",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-09-27T19:29:51.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Politico EU",
    "slug": "politico-eu",
    "url": "https://www.politico.eu/article/uk-tariffs-china-ev-review-jonathan-reynolds/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "LIVERPOOL, England — Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds has decided to keep tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles under review as the United Kingdom seeks to be part of the European Union's Buy European program, according to a report by the Financial Times. The EU has requested that the UK raise tariffs on Chinese EVs to support talks for the country to join the industrial program, amid concerns that the UK could provide a back door for Chinese vehicles to enter the single market. During an interview at The POLITICO Pub at the Labour Party conference, Reynolds stated that he is closely examining the issue of tariffs on Chinese EVs and that various sectors of the industry have different opinions on the government's policy. The EU is currently considering whether UK auto exports should qualify for preferential treatment under the Buy European program as part of its efforts to protect its member economies from U.S. tariffs, China's manufacturing power, and cheap EVs subsidized by Beijing. The bloc has imposed double-digit tariffs on Chinese EVs since 2024, but Reynolds noted that the UK government's stance on tariffs differs from that of the EU. \"We are an export-orientated sector. So clearly, you shouldn't do anything that risks your export markets, and you always have to take heed of retaliatory action if you put tariffs in place,\" Reynolds said. He added that the UK's position on Chinese EVs is \"finely balanced.\" Excluding the UK from Brussels' new industrial program would not be beneficial for Europe, Reynolds argued, emphasizing that the UK, being the second-largest economy in Europe, should be a part of the initiative. The EU is aiming to improve resilience and autonomy for European industry in the face of significant pressures from the U.S. and China, and Reynolds believes that the UK should play a role in this. The tussle between London and Brussels over the inclusion of the UK in European supply chains threatens to delay a major summit to finalize trade talks later this year. Reynolds also highlighted \"constitutional questions\" surrounding Britain's EU relationship as causing uncertainty for businesses, urging the UK to focus on improving its trade relationship rather than focusing on whether Labour wants the UK to rejoin the bloc.",
  "summary": "Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds said the U.K.’s position on the issue was \"finely balanced\" as officials pursue talks with Brussels.",
  "key_points": [
    "Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds keeps Chinese EV tariffs under review.",
    "UK seeks EU's Buy European program membership.",
    "Reynolds says UK's stance on tariffs differs from EU's."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}