Brussels, 28 May 2018 – The European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA) has expressed its concern regarding the initiation by the United States of a national security investigation into imports of motor vehicles and auto parts.
“Automobile manufacturers active in both Europe and the US are truly global players with interests in both regions,” stated ACEA Secretary General, Erik Jonnaert. “Any trade-restrictive measure in the automotive sector will have a serious negative impact not only on the EU, but also on the US and the global economy.”
European auto makers not only import vehicles into the US, but many of them also have a major manufacturing footprint there, thereby creating hundreds of thousands of direct and indirect jobs. A large part of their US-production is exported to third countries, including the European Union.
Jonnaert: “The automobile industry is a major investor in both the American and the European economies, creating economic growth and employment. We are convinced that vehicle imports from the EU do not pose a national security risk to the United States.”
EU-US auto-related trade currently accounts for some 10% of total trade between the two regions.
ACEA’s members are global companies, and international trade is an important pillar of the European automobile industry’s competitiveness. ACEA therefore supports trade that is both free and fair, and respect for the international trade rules upon which these principles are based.
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Notes for editors
ACEA represents the 15 major Europe-based car, van, truck and bus manufacturers: BMW Group, DAF Trucks, Daimler, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, Ford of Europe, Honda Motor Europe, Hyundai Motor Europe, Iveco, Jaguar Land Rover, PSA Group, Renault Group, Toyota Motor Europe, Volkswagen Group, Volvo Cars, and Volvo Group.
More information can be found on www.acea.be or @ACEA_eu.
Contact: Cara McLaughlin, Communications Director, cm@acea.be, +32 2 738 73 45 or +32 485 88 66 47.
About the EU automobile industry
12.6 million people – or 5.7% of the EU employed population – work in the sector.
The 3.3 million jobs in automotive manufacturing represent almost 11% of EU manufacturing employment.
Motor vehicles account for some €413 billion in tax contributions in the EU15.
The sector is also a key driver of knowledge and innovation, representing Europe’s largest private contributor to R&D, with more than €50 billion invested annually.
The automobile industry generates a trade surplus of about €90 billion for the EU.