As the V4 states continue to attract Chinese electric vehicle and battery investments, differences are emerging between the interests of national elites and local communities chosen to host these manufacturing (and recycling) facilities. This can be seen in the case of local opposition in the small Slovak town of Šurany – selected to host a major battery production facility as part of a broader industrial park complex. With the opposition group’s environmental and social concerns echoing patterns seen in similar protests in Hungary, it is important to understand these “not in my backyard” (NIMBY) sentiments, which highlight the complex task of balancing economic growth and the green transition while upholding democratic principles such as public consultations.
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The NIMBY sentiments underscore notable discrepancies between EU and Chinese regulatory standards. These could be further leveraged – especially given the ongoing dilution of the EU’s Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) framework – against both national and EU-wide interests. At the same time, it is important to differentiate between various forms of these investments (including the nature and scope of activities involved) and their associated risks.
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While InoBat’s joint venture with Chinese battery producer Gotion High-Tech is seen as a form of Chinese investment that could facilitate (some level of) industrial upgrading, it has also sparked local protests … battery manufacturing involves unfamiliar and potentially hazardous chemical processes, with the activists in Šurany citing concerns over substances like N-methylpyrrolidone solvents, which can affect fertility and cause vision, respiratory and other health problems, as well as worries about potential water contamination, soil erosion, high energy use, and pollution – all of which raise broader questions about environmental justice.
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The activists in Šurany have also drawn comparisons with other regional battery projects, notably CATL’s €7.3 billion plant in Debrecen, Hungary, which has attracted even larger opposition. These protests, however, were influenced not only by Chinese involvement but also by prior controversies surrounding South Korean battery investments, indicating broader concerns over lax ESG [Environmental, Social and Governance] practices facilitated by a government that prioritizes economic development and profit maximization over local concerns and corporate sustainability – regardless of investor origin.
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With Slovakia having the EU’s third-highest trade exposure to China and the highest final demand exposure among the V4, the country remains deeply exposed to potential Chinese economic coercion in both direct and indirect terms. On top of this, concerns about regulatory arbitrage – where investors exploit laxer national regulations – are rising, particularly around ESG enforcement,
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Framing these concerns as NIMBY-ism against green tech is misleading and deceptive. There are legitimate concerns about Chinese investments in European projects, and rightful criticism from the EU of how the governments of Slovakia and Hungary are going against their people’s best interests in order to be more friendly towards Russian and Chinese interests.
Bull.
If this tech investment violates some environmental protection rules, then it is simply out of the question. Not an option.
This has nothing to do with NIMBY etc. The whole world is the environment.
I agree, the NIMBY framing seems indeed to be misplaced here. There are similar issues regarding Chinese investments in Europe, e.g., in Hungary, where a Chinese gigafactory has been raising concerns since around 2023 about water shortage as local residents struggle to get information from their government.
… on the outskirts of the city of Debrecen, the scale of Hungary’s ambitions to adapt to the electric transition is visible. Chinese-owned Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. Limited (CATL) is building its new gigafactory, which will occupy over 200 hectares — over 280 football fields — once finished … [local residents] are worried that the new plant will be a health hazard for their crops, as well as for people in the area [over] the industrial water consumption in the already arid region … Intransparent communication is a key point of frustration for locals, who feel the decision for the investment was made without their consent. According to a … survey, almost two-thirds of residents view the battery plant critically.
