The European Commission has endorsed the deal agreed between its negotiators and the Chinese solar industry last week and will publish the terms of the price-undertaking on Saturday.
Last weekend saw the conclusion of six weeks of talks designed to avoid the implementation of a 47.6% tariff on Chinese PV modules entering Europe. The levy was set to begin on 6 August if no deal was reached.
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A minimum import price will be set as well as a cap on the percentage of the European market that Chinese firms can fill.
Speculation suggested the minimum import price for Chinese panels would be set in the range of €0.54-€57 per Watt (US$0.72-0.76).
An official from the China Chamber of Commerce (CCC), which represented manufacturers at the talks, told PV-Tech after the deal was signed that the price was likely to be regressive rather than fixed, to better reflect changing market conditions.
“The price isn’t fixed; the promised price will be adjusted at any time, having only one price makes no sense,” said Sun Guangbin, secretary general of solar energy & PV products at the CCC.
The dispute led China to open an investigation into EU wine exports with many fearing an all out trade war.
The dispute was the largest by value between the EU and China, with the market worth an estimated €21 billion (US$28 billion) last year alone.
