Looking at the current discussions about possible US tariffs on car imports from the European Union, it is important to understand that the US and EU auto industries have been integrated for decades now.
This fact sheet (March 2019 update) provides a comprehensive overview of EU-US automobile trade, as well as production and employment generated by EU auto makers in the United States.
Key takeaways:
- Auto-related trade currently accounts for 8% of total trade in goods between the EU and US.
- Today, the US is the fourth biggest exporter of cars to the European Union: 19% of the total value of US car exports heads for the EU, representing 12% of EU car imports by value.
- The other way around, the United States is the number one destination for EU-built cars, accounting for 29% of the total EU export value and 25% of US global car imports by value.
- In 2018, EU-owned automobile manufacturers made 3 million passenger cars in the United States, accounting for 27% of total US production.
- At their US plants, EU car makers provide jobs to almost 120,000 Americans across the United States, including in South Carolina, Alabama, Mississippi and Tennessee.