TURNABOUT: China says EU mandated its EV firms turn over ‘unprecedented’ amounts of data.

The Commission, which oversees trade policy for the 27-nation strong European Union, last week slapped extra duties on imported Chinese EVs following the probe, prompting rebuke from Beijing and spying allegations from Chinese state media. China has also launched a dumping investigation into EU pork imports.

“The type, scope and quantity of information collected by the European side was unprecedented and far more than what is required for a countervailing duties investigation,” He Yadong, a commerce ministry spokesperson told a news conference. He was responding to a question from Chinese state radio over whether Brussels had been seeking to spy on China’s EV industry.

The Commission “mandatorily required” Chinese automakers hand over information concerning sourcing raw materials for batteries, manufacturing components, and pricing and developing sales channels, the spokesperson said.

China makes similar demands for data from Western firms all the time — when they aren’t just stealing it. The only problem with the EU’s turnabout is that there isn’t nearly enough of it.