“The European Commission will host European carmakers, suppliers and unions for the first round of talks on January 30, aimed at drawing up EU plans to protect the struggling industry, which is vital to the bloc’s prosperity.”, — write: epravda.com.ua
The European Commission will host European carmakers, suppliers and unions for the first round of talks on January 30, aimed at drawing up EU plans to protect the struggling industry, which is vital to the bloc’s prosperity. Reuters writes about it. On Monday, the Commission said it would hold a first dialogue to discuss the most pressing issues and potential solutions. Transport Commissioner Apostolos Tsitsikostas will be responsible for developing the action plan. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen told EU lawmakers late last year that she would launch a “strategic dialogue” on the future of Europe’s auto industry.Advertisement: The bloc’s automakers are closing factories and cutting jobs as they struggle to compete with Chinese rivals and brace for U.S. tariffs after the inauguration of US President Donald Trump. They are also rejecting potentially large EU fines if their fleets fail to meet CO2 emission limits in 2025, or deals to avoid them that would benefit foreign electric car makers. The dialogue aims to help EU industry catch up with competitors in key technologies such as batteries, software and autonomous driving, simplify regulation, ensure competitive production costs and ensure a level international playing field.Advertisement: The automotive industry employs more than 13 million people and contributes to the EU economy is about 7%. Read also: Made in Germany no longer works: why Volkswagen is forced to close factories Recall: Volkswagen sales in 2024 fell 2.3% to just over 9 million vehicles as it tries to cut costs at home and wage a price war in China, its the largest market. Chinese officials and car companies are showing interest in German Volkswagen plants that are slated to close.