The EU ProSun lobbying group – which has already successfully prompted an investigation into claims of below-cost product "dumping" by China’s big solar firms – is now requesting a new, separate probe by the European Commission into financial support it claims breaks WTO rules.

EU ProSun president Milan Nitzschke says: “Chinese government subsidies are only available to Chinese companies.

“Massive subsidies and state intervention have stimulated overcapacity more than 20 times total Chinese consumption, and close to double total global demand.