According to the European Automotive Suppliers Association (CLEPA), European automotive suppliers are calling for the principle of technological neutrality to ensure that innovation drives decarbonization rather than restrictive measures.
The upcoming Law on Accelerating Industrial Production provides an obvious opportunity to keep car production in Europe, but its success depends on one key issue.: how does the EU define "European-made" components, he argues.
"This is not a trial period: car suppliers have announced the reduction of more than 100,000 jobs from 2024," says Benjamin Krieger, Secretary General of CLEPA. "It is impossible to imagine a strong European economy without production facilities that could support it. Currently, with high energy costs and disparate regulations slowing down companies, manufacturers in Europe are at a disadvantage. It will take time to take measures to restore EU competitiveness, so we need a local content policy now."
It contains a link to a recent study by Roland Berger, which shows that car suppliers in the European Union face unfair competition from regions with lower costs, fewer regulations, unilateral tariffs, overcapacity, dumping, and subsidies – a combination of these factors threatening up to 350,000 jobs in Europe by 2030. of the year, Kallanish notes.
"Importing the cheapest technologies today reduces our innovation potential tomorrow," adds CLEPA. "If Europe allows its production and supply chains to collapse, we will end up with empty factories – we will exchange European independence for permanent dependence on regions with cheaper labor and weaker legislative requirements."
"The law on accelerating industrial production must be effective. In particular, it is necessary to provide an adequate definition of vehicles and components of European production," it says. "A European car must consist of at least 75% European components. This level is realistic and will not lead to price increases. A study conducted by Roland Berger shows that more than 80% of the components used in EU-made vehicles are already supplied by European suppliers."
Automotive suppliers are the driving force behind Europe's transition to a green economy, investing 30 billion euros ($35.5 billion) annually in research and development. However
