Solar panels are just another example of Brussels’ wrong priorities

Over the years, Brussels has become adept at dishing out heavy-handed and often disproportionate pan-EU ‘solutions’ to problems that are very often not problems for the majority of Member States. It’s at it again, this time on a proposal that would decimate the solar power industry in Britain.

This country and many of its European neighbours rely on the low cost of imports to keep the solar power sector afloat. But the European Commission is pushing ahead with a plan to slap punitive duties on the import of Chinese solar panels. This is despite a grand total of just 4 out of 27 member states voting for the tariffs and is proof-positive of the case for serious change to the way Brussels does business – and the way we do business with Brussels.

EU Trade Commissioner Karel de Gucht has suggested that a lower level of provisional penalties apply, but only until August.