Germany-based Heraeus, whose products include silver conductive pastes used in PV modules, says the European Union (EU) should reject the recently filed complaint that seeks the introduction of import duties on solar modules manufactured in China.
‘Heraeus has always supported preserving free trade without protectionist government intervention,’ explains Frank Heinricht, chairman of the Heraeus Holding GmbH board of management. A trade war between the EU and China would cause harm to the solar sector, he adds.
‘While a few companies have expressed interest in creating a situation comparable to the one in the United States – where the U.S. Department of Commerce recently imposed tariffs of up to 250 percent on solar imports from China – this suggestion is counterproductive,’ Heinricht says. ‘Regulation would amount to a distortion of competition, with only a short-term gain. In the long run, no company benefits from state protectionism.’
