Today, President von der Leyen has convened key European industry leaders, social partners, and stakeholders for the launch of the Strategic Dialogue on the Future of the European Automotive Industry. This dialogue marks the start of an inclusive and collaborative process aimed at addressing critical challenges facing the sector and ensuring its continued success as a major driver of the European economy.
Commission President, Ursula von der Leyen, said: “The European automotive industry is at a pivotal moment, and we acknowledge the challenges it faces. That is why we are acting swiftly to address them. The fundamental question we need to answer together is what we still miss to unleash the innovative power of our companies and ensure a robust and sustainable automotive sector. Today marks the beginning of a dialogue that will help us navigate the changes ahead. The outcome of this dialogue will be a comprehensive Action Plan, which we will present on March 5th. This Action Plan will chart a clear course to ensure our industry can thrive in Europe and compete successfully on a global stage.”
The automotive industry is a vital engine for European prosperity, supporting over 13 million direct and indirect jobs and contributing approximately €1 trillion to our gross domestic product. Beyond the economic impact, the industry ensures the safe and affordable mobility of our citizens and businesses, producing products that are globally admired.
The European automotive and supplier industry is undergoing a profound and transformative shift. The Commission acknowledges the urgent need to take measures that will both protect the European automotive industry and ensure its continued prosperity within the European Union. In this context, President von der Leyen has tasked Commissioner Tzitzikostas to present an Action Plan on the 5th of March.
The Action Plan will address a broad range of issues relevant for the sector, such as ensuring access to talent and resources, fostering technological innovation and the development of next-generation vehicles, and establishing a pragmatic and predictable regulatory framework. It will be based on:
- Today’s high-level discussion, in which 22 key players from the automotive sector actively participated. Today’s discussions focus on the main areas that require urgent attention, including the need for an international ‘level playing field’, facilitate the clean transition and regulatory streamlining, as well as identifying areas where more concrete measures are needed.
- A public consultation, which is being launched today to gather wider input on challenges and potential solutions from all interested parties, and;
- four thematic work strands, where the President has mandated four Commissioners to lead focused discussions on key topics with a diverse group of stakeholders from the automotive sector value chain. More specifically:
-
- Commissioner Hoekstra will focus on the Clean Transition of the automotive sector.
- Commissioner Séjourné will address the Industrial Value Chain for the industry.
- Commissioner Virkkunen will oversee discussions on Technological and Digital Innovation.
- Commissioner Mînzatu will lead on Skills and Social considerations within the sector.
The output of this consultative process will inspire the Action Plan, to be presented by Commissioner Tzitzikostas.
The Council and European Parliament will be closely involved in the process and will be regularly informed and consulted on the Dialogue.
For more information
- List of participating organisations
- Press release: Strategic Dialogue on the Future of the European Automotive Industry will be launched on 30 January
- Concept Note: Strategic Dialogue on the Future of the European Automotive Industry
- Press release: Strategic Dialogue on the Future of the European Automotive Industry to start in January
Quote(s)
The European automotive industry is at a pivotal moment, and we acknowledge the challenges it faces. That is why we are acting swiftly to address them. The fundamental question we need to answer together is what we still miss to unleash the innovative power of our companies and ensure a robust and sustainable automotive sector. Today marks the beginning of a dialogue that will help us navigate the changes ahead. The outcome of this dialogue will be a comprehensive Action Plan, which we will present on March 5th. This Action Plan will chart a clear course to ensure our industry can thrive in Europe and compete successfully on a global stage.
The European automotive industry is a key pillar of the European economy. The sector is now in the middle of deep structural shifts. I am very happy that we started the dialogue with the key stakeholders today. This dialogue is very important for developing the EU Industrial Action Plan for the automotive sector, which I will present early in 2025.
Source – EU Commission
Participants
- ACEA (The European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association)
- BEUC (The European Consumer Organisation)
- BMW Group
- Robert Bosch GmbH
- ChargeUp Europe
- CLEPA (The European Association of Automotive Suppliers)
- Daimler Truck
- ETF (European Transport workers Federation)
- Forvia
- IndustriAll European Trade Union
- IVECO Group
- MAHLE Group
- MILENCE
- RECHARGE
- Renault Group
- T&E (European Federation for Transport and Environment)
- Traton Group
- Valeo
- Volkswagen Group
- Volvo Cars
- Volvo Group
- ZF Group
Source – EU Commission
EU Abgeordneter Markus Ferber (CSU): Europäische Kommission muss für die Zukunftsfähigkeit der europäischen Autoindustrie nun konkrete Initiativen vorlegen
Brüssel, 30. Januar 2025
Am Donnerstag, 30. Januar, startet die Europäische Kommission den von Ursula von der Leyen im November 2024 angekündigten strategischen Dialog zur Zukunft der europäischen Automobilindustrie mit einem Auftakttreffen in Brüssel. Dazu sind Vertreter der Industrie, der Sozialpartner und anderer Interessengruppen eingeladen. Für den Europaabgeordneten und verkehrspolitischen Sprecher der CSU-Europagruppe Markus Ferber ist die Einrichtung des Dialogforums unter Leitung der Kommissionspräsidentin ein wichtiger und notwendiger Schritt zu Beginn der neuen Legislaturperiode. Für ihn steht aber ebenfalls fest, dass die Europäische Kommission nun dringend zum Handeln gefordert ist:
„Die Probleme der europäischen Autoindustrie liegen auf dem Tisch. Das politisch beschlossene Verbrenneraus und die in den vergangenen Jahren durch die Kommission verfolgte Strategie der hundertprozentigen Elektrifizierung der Automobilindustrie laufen in der Praxis nicht in dem Tempo, welches zur Erreichung der sehr ambitionierten europäischen Flottengrenzwerte notwendig wäre. Die europäische Autoindustrie steht hier, neben dem schwierigen Wettbewerb mit Konkurrenten aus dem außereuropäischen Ausland, auch vor enormen regulatorischen Herausforderungen. Strafzahlungen drohen bereits zum Ende des laufenden Jahres. Es kann nicht sein, dass wir unseren heimischen Autobauern in dieser kapitalintensiven Transformationsphase liquide Mittel entziehen bzw. dass diese ihre direkten Wettbewerber finanziell unterstützen müssen, um europäische Grenzwerte einzuhalten.
Zum jetzigen Zeitpunkt sind Elektroautos für Verbraucher einfach nicht attraktiv genug. Das zeigen die Zulassungszahlen der Hersteller. Die Europäische Kommission ist gefordert, eine überzeugende Strategie vorzulegen, wie endlich das Henne-Ei-Problem bei der Umstellung auf E-Mobilität zu lösen ist. Sieben von zehn Ladesäulen stehen in nur drei der 27 EU-Staaten, nämlich in Deutschland, Frankreich und den Niederlanden. Ohne einen massiven und flächendeckenden Ausbau der Ladeinfrastruktur auf den Hauptachsen, aber auch den Nebenstraßen in den Regionen wird der Absatz von E-Autos in den kommenden Jahren nicht wie gefordert anziehen.
Die Realität zeigt, dass die Flottengrenzwerte der EU für die nächsten Jahre nicht mehr realistisch sind. Der strategische Dialog bietet der Kommission nun die Möglichkeit der Einsicht. Die beteiligten Kommissare sollten sich die Nöte der europäischen Industrie ganz genau anhören, denn sie sind diejenigen, die jetzt das Heft zum Handeln in der Hand halten.”
Ferber kritisiert die Zusammensetzung des Gremiums und drängt auf eine enge Abstimmung mit dem Europäischen Parlament:
„Dass auch Gegner der individuellen Mobilität wie die Lobbyorganisation Transport + Environment mit am Tisch sitzen, während Mittelständler und Automobilzulieferer außen vorbleiben müssen, zeigt, dass der Ernst der Lage weiterhin nicht überall verstanden wurde. Gerade in der Automobilzulieferbranche drohen riesige Jobverluste in den kommenden Jahren. Die Wertschöpfungskette der Automobilindustrie geht weit über die bekannten Hersteller hinaus. Auch hier wäre ein Dialog auf Augenhöhe wünschenswert.“
Quelle – Markus Ferber
Automotive manufacturers and suppliers outline must-act priorities ahead of pivotal Strategic Dialogue with EU
Brussels, 27 January 2025
European automotive manufacturers and suppliers welcome the Strategic Dialogue on the future of the European automotive industry as an opportunity to drive tangible progress for our industry’s competitiveness.
“No more time for reports – the Strategic Dialogue now must deliver real impact based on the Draghi recommendations. We need to move from penalties-driven to market-driven and demand-driven approach to the transition,” said Sigrid de Vries, Director General of the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA). “As an immediate priority, EU action to address crippling CO2 2025 compliance fines for light-duty vehicles is an essential must-do to keep our industry competitive.”
“The Strategic Dialogue comes at a pivotal moment, as regulatory pressure, global competition, and weak vehicle demand have strained the industry, slowing business, reducing investment capacity, and impacting the workforce. Only in 2024, the automotive supply industry announced 54,000 job losses,” said Benjamin Krieger, Secretary General of CLEPA, the European Association of Automotive Suppliers. “Automotive suppliers are vital not only to the EU’s prosperity but also to the stability of regional and local economies, yet these foundations are eroding. Now is the time for industry and policymakers to align and take decisive action for long-term technology-open regulations.”
We are calling for the initial meetings to focus on these key short-term priorities:
Short-term
- Urgently resolve the 2025 CO2 target compliance burden for light-duty vehicles to ensure no penalties will be incurred.
- Accelerate the reviews of the CO2 Regulations for light-duty vehicles and heavy-duty vehicles, based on the assessment of the availability of the enabling conditions, market and value chain realities.
- Define the priorities for the Automotive Industrial Action Plan and ensure its coherence with the Clean Industrial Deal
- Discuss an EU-wide purchase incentive scheme for cars and dedicated measures to stimulate demand for zero-emission heavy-duty vehicles (for example, public procurement).
- Assess the negative impact of trade tensions with US and China on the EU automotive industry and how to avoid them
- Urgently create transparency on the availability of enabling conditions, notably for heavy-duty vehicles, where information is largely absent. Establish a robust regular (6-monthly) monitoring of the state of a comprehensive set of enabling conditions.
You can read more about the essential short-, mid- and long-term priorities that must be met to ensure the success of the Strategic Dialogue in our joint paper below.
European automotive manufacturers and suppliers welcome the Strategic Dialogue on the future of the European automotive industry as an opportunity to drive tangible progress for our industry’s competitiveness.
Read the industry’s proposals
Source: Automotive industry and suppliers Strategic Dialogue proposal
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