The European Commission's decision to press ahead with tariffs on Chinese-made electric vehicles threatens to undermine decades of cooperation between China and the EU, and endangers climate-change goals,

The European Union will impose tariffs of up to 45% on China-made electric vehicles next month, despite objections from Germany, its largest economy. The move, backed by 10 EU members, comes after a year-long investigation into what the EU sees as unfair Chinese subsidies. The tariffs are expected to cost carmakers billions over five years.

European Union countries have voted to impose duties on imports of electric vehicles from China, as talks continue between Brussels and Beijing to end the standoff before an end-of-October deadline.