EU solar companies call for investigation into China rivals

European solar panel manufacturers are preparing to lodge a trade complaint against their Chinese competitors in the latest exchange of barbs between China and the West over renewable energy technology, Financial Times reported, citing sources familiar with the matter. A German company, SolarWorld (SWV.ETR, SWV.FRA), will file an anti-dumping complaint alleging that Chinese manufacturers are undercutting prices by selling photovoltaic cells in the EU below the cost of production, the unnamed sources said. The European Commission will then decide whether to launch an investigation. A similar charge was made by a SolarWorld subsidiary in the US, which led to the imposition of punitive tariffs in May. This latest case could have much larger repercussions, however, as the EU is the world’s largest solar market. Chinese officials have already indicated that they are prepared to take retaliatory measures.