BRUSSELS, Oct 25 Reuters The European Union and China have agreed to hold further technical negotiations soon on possible alternatives to tariffs on Chinabuilt electric vehicles, although significant gaps remain, the European Commission said on Friday.

The EU is set to impose additional tariffs of up to 35.3 next week on electric vehicles built in China at the conclusion of its antisubsidy investigation, but has said talks can continue after then.

The two sides are looking at possible minimum price commitments from Chinese producers or investments in Europe as an alternative to tariffs.

The principals agreed that further technical negotiations would take place shortly, the Commission said after a video call between EU trade chief Valdis Dombrovskis and Chinese Minister of Commerce Wang Wentao.

The European Commission, which oversees trade policy for the 27nation European Union, has already held eight rounds of technical negotiations with Chinese counterparts and said there were significant remaining gaps.

Dombrovskis and Wang affirmed their commitment to finding a mutually agreeable solution, which would need to ensure a level playing field in the EU market and to be compatible with World Trade Organization rules, the Commission said.

China urged the EU two weeks ago not to conduct separate negotiations with companies, warning this would shake the foundations of negotiations.

The Commission said Dombrovskis had emphasised that the EU executive39;s negotiations…