Renault Group CEO Luca de Meo says now is the time for Europe's car industry to "find a deal" with China, after the European Commission imposed substantial import tariffs on Chinese-built EVs. De Meo, who has long been vocal in his belief that protectionist policies are an ill-conceived means of fostering competition, was speaking to journalists at the Paris motor show, shortly after tariffs of between 17.4% and 35.3% were imposed on all EVs built in China and shipped to Europe.
He suggested that working with the Chinese industry – rather than restricting its ability to compete internationally – could be a "stimulus" for Europe's car manufacturers, "because we have to reinvent ourselves". "We have to invest in new powertrains – not only electric – and we need to invest in software, because our capability in Europe is not enough," he said.