EU strategic dialogue to start in January
Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced this dialogue in her speech to the EU Parliament following her re-election, but no further details were given at the time – apart from the fact that the German CDU politician wants to lead this dialogue herself.
The Commission has now provided further details in an official communication: the strategic dialogue is to consist of regular meetings bringing together industry representatives (manufacturers, suppliers), social partners, commissioners and other stakeholders, including those from civil society. According to the Commission, the dialogue aims to involve industry players, social partners and interest groups in order to jointly understand challenges, develop solutions and take concrete measures. The initiative emphasises the Commission’s commitment to “safeguarding the future of a sector vital to European prosperity, while at the same time advancing its climate goals and broader societal objectives.”
There are to be thematic working groups within the group of participants to develop detailed proposals. A broad consultation with other interest groups ‘from the entire industry and other parts of the automotive value chain’ is also planned. And on the political side, the Council and the EU Parliament are to be closely involved in the entire process, it is said.
The current announcement is not yet too specific, but at least some of the “key discussion points” are mentioned. These include innovation, a clean transition and decarbonisation, competitiveness and resilience, trade relations and a level playing field at the international level, as well as the simplification of regulations and the optimisation of procedures. Within the Commission, the new Transport Commissioner Apostolos Tzitzikostas has been tasked with developing an action plan for the sector “which will benefit from these discussions.”
The Commission emphasises its commitment to “working with all stakeholders to ensure the long-term competitiveness, sustainability, and resilience of the European automotive industry.” The EU Commission is concerned with the automotive industry in general. However, as it also states that the industry is facing a “significant transformation, driven by digitalization, decarbonization, increased competition, and a changing geopolitical landscape,” it is clear that the shift towards (cheaper) electric cars will play an important role in the dialogue – as will the new competition from electric cars from China.
Update 30 January 2025
As announced above, the EU Commission officially launched the strategic dialogue on the future of the automotive industry today. Transport Commissioner Apostolos Tzitzikostas has been tasked with drawing up an action plan for the sector and presenting it on 5 March.
According to the Commission, “22 key players from the automotive sector” took part in the first dialogue on Thursday. They discussed “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.”
“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,” said Commission President, Ursula von der Leyen, adding: “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.”
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