BRUSSELS: The EU said Wednesday it aimed to phase out anti-dumping duties on Chinese solar panel imports after 18 months, ending a bitter dispute with one of its largest trading partners.
Stung by US President Donald Trump’s protectionist stance, the EU has touted its free-trade credentials and pledged closer cooperation with China in response.
The EU imposed the duties in 2013 after European panel manufacturers complained they were being forced out of business by underpriced Chinese imports.
Other companies, which installed solar panel systems, claimed the duties harmed them by increasing their costs and should be removed.
European Commission (EC) Vice President Frans Timmermans said: “There is no doubt we have the right to protect our industry... but at the same time we have to take into account other companies who import these products.”
These companies, he told reporters, provided thousands of jobs and were a key element in the renewable energy industry.
“The college (of the 28 member state representatives) weighed the options, including the different interests involved and decided to maintain the measures for 18 months and an eventual phase out,” he said.
EU to phase out China solar panel duties
EU to phase out China solar panel duties
Venture capital investment will boost Saudi Arabia’s regional leadership in 2025 for the 3rd consecutive year
RIYADH: The Saudi Venture Capital Co. has announced that venture capital in Saudi Arabia achieved two historic leaps in 2025, in terms of investment volume and number of deals.
The Kingdom also reinforced its leading position in the Middle East region for the third consecutive year in terms of venture capital volume, a clear impact of the Saudi Vision 2030.
SVC explained that the Kingdom achieved a record number of venture capital deals, with 254 deals, during 2025. It also recorded another historic figure in venture capital volume, reaching $1.66 billion during 2025, compared to no more than $60 million in 2018.
This contributed to a 25-fold increase in investment volume since SVC’s establishment and its emergence within the ecosystem, confirming its role as a market maker.
CEO and Board Member of SVC, Nabeel Koshak, said: “These figures represent a structural transformation in venture capital. What the Kingdom has witnessed today in the venture capital sector is a result of the unlimited support of the wise leadership for all sectors, which has been translated today into a well-thought-out economic transformation, in which private investment has moved to a more mature stage.”
He added: “These figures reflect the strength of the Saudi economy, the clarity of the vision, and the confidence of investors, and confirm that the venture capital system has become a fundamental pillar for economic growth and diversification.”
Koshak stated that the volume of investment has increased 25-fold since 2018, achieving record highs in both investment size and the number of deals. This reflects the maturity of the market in terms of the competitiveness of local and regional investment funds, the attractiveness of investing in the Kingdom for global investment funds, and the readiness of companies and the diversity of sectors.
The CEO pointed out that venture capital contributes to building companies capable of expansion, provides quality jobs, and transforms innovation into sustainable economic value, in line with the objectives of the Kingdom's Vision 2030.
