EU Industry Associations Take Action to Track E-Bike Imports

BRUSSELS, Belgium – The European industry associations for bicycle producers (COLIBI) and for parts makers (COLIPED) have succeeded in their actions to better track the e-bike market in the EU. This is accomplished through a revision of the Combined Nomenclature (CN). Under the European Union’s CN codes all imports into the European Union are tracked while all import and dumping duties are linked to these codes.

Unlike standard bicycles, electric bikes did not have their own CN code. E-bikes were always considered as “bicycles with an auxiliary engine” under the collective group code CN 8711 90 00 which also includes gas-engined mopeds as well as (e-)scooters. This was also the reason why e-bikes were not included in the recently prolonged anti-dumping duties for bicycles imported from China. That is all going to change.

In a joint declaration the European industry organizations COLIBI/COLIPED state that with the ever increasing popularity of the e-bike, the growing imports and exports, and the need to continuously learn more about the market of these two-wheelers, they considered it a must that e-bikes would have their own CN code.

Specific e-bike CN codes will increase market transparency as it will give a clear understanding of the number of units actually imported into and exported out of the EU; from which countries and at which prices, as published by Eurostat. This also paves the way for dumping investigations and (if needed) the enforcing of dumping duties. This was never possible as e-bikes could not be tracked under the bicycle code 8712. This code was exclusively meant for vehicles without motor, even an electric one. For that reason e-bikes fell under the code of the motorcycles, mopeds and cycles with an auxiliary engine, code 8711.

COLIBI and COLIPED argue that a simplification of the CN codes should not be limited to deleting or merging product codes but also to simplify the use of codes by making some categories more transparent and better attuned to the current offer of products on the market. The EU accepted the proposal of the two industry organizations and allocated two product separate codes to e-bikes: 8711 90 10 for cycles with an auxiliary electric motor with a continuous rated power not exceeding 250 watts and 8711 90 90 for other.

The new regulation with the new CN code will enter into force on January 1, 2012.