BRUSSELS: The European Union has opened two investigations into whether two Chinese bidders benefited excessively from subsidies in their offers in a public tender for a solar power park in Romania, the European Commision said on Wednesday.
The first investigated consortium is composed of Romania’s ENEVO Group and a subsidiary of LONGi Green Energy Technology Co . The second involves subsidiaries of Chinese state-owned Shanghai Electric Group Co.
According to an EU official, the total contract was worth about 375 million euros ($404 million).
The Commission said it was justified in opening in-depth investigations since there were sufficient indications that both Chinese firms had been granted foreign subsidies that distorted the EU single market.
Under EU foreign subsidies regulations, which have applied since July 2023, companies are obliged to notify the European Commission, which then has to assess whether subsidies allow companies to submit overly advantageous offers.
The Commission has until August 14 to take a decision. ($1 = 0.9284 euros) (Reporting by Foo Yun Chee; writing by Philip Blenkinsop; editing by GV De Clercq and Jason Neely)
