European Union Trade Defense Mechanism against Dumping: The Case of Chinese EV

Can anti-dumping rules designed for a liberal trade order effectively counter the distortions of a state-driven export model? This thesis examines the challenge posed by Chinese electric vehicle exports to the European market, situating the debate within the broader struggle for industrial sovereignty. Starting from a linguistic and historical analysis of dumping, in its sporadic, predatory, and persistent forms, the study reconstructs the EU's anti-dumping framework, with particular attention to the mechanisms for calculating normal value and the injury assessment procedure in compliance with WTO rules. Central to the analysis is China's export model, characterised by pervasive state influence and indirect subsidies that significantly distort competitive conditions, raising broader questions about the adequacy of existing trade defense instruments in addressing systemic, state-backed competition. Through a case study on the electric vehicle sector, the research examines the exponential growth of Chinese exports and their impact on the European automotive industry. The thesis then assesses the EU's defensive policy responses, namely anti-subsidy investigations and tariffs, highlighting a fundamental tension: the very industrial policies that Europe must counter are also accelerating the global diffusion of clean technologies that the green transition urgently demands. This paradox forces the Union to navigate a delicate balancing act between legitimate trade defence, the preservation of its industrial base, and the maintenance of a constructive, if increasingly contentious, trade relationship with China.