OnDecember30,2020,theleadersofChinaandtheEUjointlyannouncedthecompletionoftheEU-ChinaComprehensiveAgreementonInvestment,whichisaframeworkagreementdesignedtoreplacetheexistingbilateralinvestmenttreatiesbetweenChinaandEUmemberstatesandbuildunityChina-EUbilateralinvestmentsystem.
Thisnegotiationhasgonethrough35roundsofnegotiationsandlastedformorethan7years.Thenegotiationwasoncestalledandacceleratedinthepastoneandahalfyears.Thenegotiationwasfinallycompletedattheendof2020,whichisalsoaftertheRegionalComprehensiveEconomicPartnershipAgreement(RCEP).,Chinahascompletedanothermajoropening-upmeasure,whichisanothersignificantvictoryofmultilateralisminthecourseofyearsofanti-globalization.
So,willthecompletionofthe"China-EUInvestmentAgreement"negotiationshaveanimpactonthestainlesssteelindustry?
1.IftheChina-EUInvestmentAgreementisreached,willtheEUstillhavetariffbarrierstoChina?
Inrecentyears,duetotheEU'scontinuedanti-dumpingofstainlesssteelexportsfrommainlandChina,theEUcurrentlyimposesataxrateofmorethan20%onstainlesssteelfrommainlandChina.Then,iftheChina-EUInvestmentAgreementisreached,willtheEUstillhavetariffbarriersagainstChina?
ThefirstthingtobeclearisthattheChina-EUInvestmentAgreementdoesnotinvolvetariffissues.Secondly,itisassumedthatthe"China-EuropeInvestmentAgreement"hascertainbenefitsforstainlesssteelexports,mainlyrelatedtostainlesssteelproducts,suchashouseholdappliances.However,afterthepreliminarynegotiationsarecompleted,theagreementneedstobefurthertransformedintolegalprovisions,whichcanonlycomeintoforceafterapprovalbytheEuropeanParliament.Theprocessisexpectedtostartinthesecondhalfof2021.
2.FromtheperspectiveofEuropeanopenareas,whatimpactdoesthe"China-EUInvestmentAgreement"haveonChinesestainlesssteelcompaniesgoingglobal?
Accordingtorelevantinformation,theChina-EUInvestmentAgreementwilllockintheexistingChineseinvestmentmarketaccessrightsinEurope,whileensuringtheopeningofsensitiveareassuchasenergy,agriculture,fishery,audio-visual,andpublicservicesinEurope.Inaddition,accordingtothe"GeneralAgreementonTradeinServices"(GATS),theEUwillopenuptheserviceindustrytoalargeextent.
FromChina'sstandpoint,theEuropeanopenfieldprovidesChineseinvestorswithgreateropportunitiestoentertheEUenergywholesaleandretailmarket,renewableenergymarketandotherfields,andpromotethedevelopmentofChina'snewenergy,automobileandotherrelatedindustries.ForChineseinvestors,theagreementalsomeansthattherearemorepotentialinvestmentopportunitiesintheEU,includingChina'scompetitiveconstructionindustry,telecommunicationsindustry,etc.,whichmaystimulatedomesticdemandforstainlesssteel.
However,fromtheperspectiveofstainlesssteelcompanies,thepossibilityofdomesticstainlesssteelplantsgoingoutandestablishingplantsintheEUisslim.DuetotherelativelylargeaccumulationofscrapsteelinEurope,Chinesestainlesssteelmillsmayenjoysomeadvantagesinthecostofstainlesssteelsmeltingwhentheygooutandinvestinconstruction.However,allstainlesssteelmillsinEuropecurrentlyuseelectricfurnacesforproduction.IfyougotoEuropetobuildaplant,theoverallcostistoohigh.Secondly,fromademandperspective,Europeanstainlesssteelproductionhasbeendecliningyearbyyear.Inaddition,duetotheimpactofthenewcrownepidemic,theEuropeaneconomyhasfallenintoadownturn,andthedemandsidehasremainedweak.Therefore,thepossibilityofdomesticstainlesssteelplantsgoingtoEuropetobuildfactoriesgenerallydoesnotexist.
3.FromtheperspectiveofChina'sopenfields,whatimpactdoesthe"China-EUInvestmentAgreement"haveondomesticstainlesssteelcompanies?
Duringthenegotiations,theareasthatChinapromisedtofurtheropenincludemanufacturing,automobiles,financialservices,healthcare,communications/cloudservices,computerservices,internationalshipping,airtransportation,businessservices,environmentalservices,etc.Atpresent,abouthalfofEU'sdirectinvestmentinChinaisconcentratedinthemanufacturingsector,suchastransportationandtelecommunicationsequipment,chemicals,healthequipment,andsoon.Intheautomotivesector,Chinaagreedtograduallycanceltherequirementsforjointventuresandpromisedmarketaccessfornewenergyvehicles.Inaddition,Chinaagreedtoabolishjointventurerequirementsforcertainindustriesinthefinancialservicesandhealthcaresectors.
FromthestandpointoftheEuropeanUnion,theEuropeanUnionhasnewopportunitiesinChina’sautomotive,consumerproducts,biomedicine,financialservices,andmedicalandhealthsectors,butmorelikelyitistheoutputinthetechnicalfield,whichhasabasicimpactontheproductionofthestainlesssteelindustry.No.
Insummary,ingeneral,the"China-EuropeInvestmentAgreement"doesnothaveanypositiveimpactonstainlesssteelandstainlesssteelcompaniesthemselves,butitmaybepositivefortheexportofstainlesssteelproducts.
中歐(ōu)投資協(xié)定,對不鏽鋼行(háng)業影響幾何
2020年12月30日,中歐領導人共同(tóng)宣布完成中歐全面投資協議(EU-ChinaComprehensiveAgreementonInvestment),這是(shì)一個框架協議,旨在取代(dài)中國和歐(ōu)盟成員國現(xiàn)有的雙邊投資條(tiáo)約,構建統一的中歐(ōu)雙邊投(tóu)資制度。
這一(yī)談(tán)判經曆了35輪(lún)磋商,前後持續超過7年,談(tán)判曾一度停滞,近一年半内有所加快,終于在2020年年底完成談判,這也是(shì)繼區域全面經濟夥(huǒ)伴關系協定(RCEP)之後,中國(guó)完成(chéng)的(de)另一(yī)個重大對外開放舉措,也是在多年的逆全球化進程中,多邊主義取得的又(yòu)一次意義重大的(de)勝利(lì)。
那麼,“中歐投資協(xié)定”談判的完成,對不鏽(xiù)鋼行業會有影響嗎?
一、如果“中歐(ōu)投資協定(dìng)”達成(chéng),歐盟對中(zhōng)國還會有(yǒu)關(guān)稅壁壘麼?
近年來,由(yóu)于歐盟對中國大陸的(de)不鏽鋼出口持續的(de)反傾銷,目前歐盟對中國(guó)大陸不鏽鋼的征收稅(shuì)率(lǜ)高達20%以上,那麼,如果“中歐投資協定”達成(chéng),歐(ōu)盟對中國還(hái)會有關稅壁壘麼?
首(shǒu)先需要明确的是(shì),“中歐投資協定”并(bìng)不涉及關稅問(wèn)題。其次,假(jiǎ)設“中歐投(tóu)資協定”對不鏽鋼出口有一定(dìng)利好,主要系不鏽鋼的相(xiàng)關制成品,比如家電等(děng)等。但初步談判完成,協議需進一步轉化成法(fǎ)律條文(wén),并經過歐(ōu)洲議(yì)會批準後才可生效。該過程預(yù)計将在2021年下半年才可開始。
二(èr)、從歐洲開放領域來看,“中歐投資協定”對(duì)中國(guó)不鏽鋼企業走出去有何影響(xiǎng)?
從相關資(zī)料(liào)顯示來看,中歐投資協定将鎖定(dìng)現有的中國對歐投資市場準入權,同時确保(bǎo)開放歐洲能源、農業、漁(yú)業、視聽、公共服務等敏感領(lǐng)域。此外,根(gēn)據《服務貿易總協定》(GATS),歐盟(méng)将在很大程度上(shàng)開放服務行業。
站在中國立場,歐洲開放領域,為中國投資者提供了更大的進入歐盟能源批發零售市場、可再生能源市場等領域的(de)機會(huì),帶動中國新能源、汽(qì)車等相關産業的出口貿易發展。對于中國投資(zī)者,該協議達成還意味着在(zài)歐盟有更多潛在的投資(zī)機會,包括中國有競争(zhēng)優勢的建築産業、電信(xìn)産業等等,屆時或許會拉動國内不鏽鋼需求。
但是從不鏽鋼(gāng)企業角(jiǎo)度而言(yán),國内(nèi)不鏽鋼廠走出(chū)去在歐盟(méng)建廠的可能性微乎(hū)其微。由于(yú)歐洲的廢鋼積(jī)累(lèi)量比較大,中國不鏽鋼鋼廠(chǎng)走出去(qù)投資建(jiàn)設,在不鏽(xiù)鋼冶煉成本上可能會享有一些優(yōu)勢。但是目前歐(ōu)洲的不鏽鋼鋼廠全(quán)部使用電爐生産(chǎn),若去歐洲建(jiàn)廠,整體成本過于高昂。其次,從(cóng)需求角度來講,歐洲本土不鏽鋼生産逐年下降,加之由于新冠疫情的影響,歐洲經(jīng)濟陷入低迷,需(xū)求端維持弱勢。因(yīn)此,國内不鏽鋼廠去歐洲建設工廠的可能性,總體而言(yán)不(bú)存在。
三(sān)、從中國開放領域來看(kàn),“中歐投資協定”對(duì)國内的(de)不鏽鋼企(qǐ)業有何影響?
在談判中,中國答應進(jìn)一步開放的領域(yù)包括制造業、汽車、金融服務(wù)業、醫療健康、通訊/雲服務、計算機服務、國際海運、航空(kōng)運輸、商業服務、環境服務等。目前,大約一半的歐盟對華直接投資集中(zhōng)在制造業領域,如運輸和電信設(shè)備、化學品、健康設備等等。而汽車領域方面,中(zhōng)國同意逐步(bù)取消合資企業要求,承諾新能源汽(qì)車的(de)市場準入。此外(wài),中國同意取消金融服務業及醫療(liáo)健康領域中部分行(háng)業的合資要求。
站在歐盟的立場,歐盟在中國的汽車、消費品、生物醫藥(yào)、金融服務和醫療衛生等衆多(duō)領域出現(xiàn)了新的機遇,但更多的可能(néng)是技術領域内的輸出,對不(bú)鏽鋼行業生産的影響基本(běn)沒有。
綜上所述,總體而言,“中歐投資協定”對不鏽鋼及不鏽鋼企(qǐ)業本身并沒有什麼利好的影響,但對不鏽鋼制(zhì)成品的出口可能會是利好。