2024.10.10

P. Saudargas. The crisis facing the EU’s automotive industry, potential plant closures and the need to enhance competitiveness and maintain jobs in Europe

Mr President, Commissioner, dear colleagues,

after the resurrection from COVID, the automotive industry of Europe faces new big challenges. And this is really painful because we were always leading industry in the world.

Dear colleagues, if I would ask you to close your eyes and imagine a car of your dreams, I am sure that most of you would imagine the European brand.

There are many obstacles. Commissioner Dombrovskis mentioned energy prices, labour market and raw materials. But I think there are more.

First of all, China’s technological invasion. But what bothers me most: the enormously high sustainability targets. The global warming is a major problem, but we cannot solve it alone. We have to have America, Asia, Africa on board.

Here I would like to address one paradox. We are quite innovative and leading in some green solutions: wind power, hydropower, hydrogen technologies and others, except solar. But we ourselves are in much greater demand of these products – because of the goals – than the rest of the world. Hence, once again, we are consumers and not the producers. We massively import solar panels and Chinese electric cars. We trap ourselves in an economic greenhouse. More import than export.

Dear colleagues, we can deal with China only if we stand united. The approach towards Chinese electric cars should be unanimous.

×