acf domain was triggered too early. This is usually an indicator for some code in the plugin or theme running too early. Translations should be loaded at the init action or later. Please see Debugging in WordPress for more information. (This message was added in version 6.7.0.) in /home/ecg/ecgassociationdev/wp-includes/functions.php on line 6121ACEA — 2025-09-24
News from Brussels
ACEA’s Economic and Market Report provides data on vehicle sales, production, and trade in Europe and globally.
The EU’s economic outlook remains cautiously optimistic, with GDP expected to grow 1.1% in 2025 amid trade tensions and the United States’ tariff changes. Headline inflation is forecast to ease to 2.3% in 2025 and average 1.9% in 2026, slightly below the European Central Bank (ECB)’s 2% target. Labour market conditions remain strong, with employment set to rise and the unemployment rate projected to hit a historic low of 5.7% in 2026.
Global car markets showed mixed trends in the first half of 2025. Worldwide registrations rose 5% to 37.4 million units, led by China’s 12% surge, supported by scrappage incentives and new energy vehicle policies. North America recorded modest growth of 2.5%, although concerns remain about weakening demand later in the year. In contrast, Europe trailed behind, with overall registrations falling by 2.4% and the EU market down 1.9%, although Türkiye, the EFTA countries, and the UK provided some stability.
The EU’s car production landscape remained highly concentrated, with Germany producing 20% of cars sold in the EU, followed by Spain, Czechia, France, and Slovakia. Together, EU-based manufacturers supplied 74% of the market. Meanwhile, cars made in China now account for 6% of EU sales, highlighting both the rising competitiveness of Chinese brands and the growing role of imports.
Global car production grew by 3.5% to 37.7 million. Asia dominated with 60.1% of total output while the EU represented 15.9%. European production contracted by 2.6%, hindered by stricter CO2 targets, high energy costs, and tariffs, whereas China’s output soared by 12.3% on the back of policy support and export gains. Despite the challenges, EU-made cars retained strong international demand, with over one-third sold outside the bloc. The United Kingdom, United States, and Türkiye remained leading destinations; on the other hand, sales in China continued to drop amid local competition and new energy vehicle trends.
Trade performance in the EU car sector also experienced some challenges. Both imports and exports fell by 3.3%, narrowing further the trade surplus. Imports coming from China increased, while exports to China dropped sharply by 42%. Meanwhile, the UK stood out with export values rising by 8.1%, whereas exports to the US declined 13.6%.
Europe’s commercial vehicle market faced a tough first half of 2025, with van, truck, and bus registrations all declining. The downturn reflects both a normalisation toward long-term trends and ongoing challenges in fleet renewal and the transition to zero-emission powertrains. Some markets, like Spain for vans, showed resilience, but overall demand remained weak across major EU markets.
Commercial vehicle production showed clear regional differences in the first half of 2025. Global van production grew by 1%, while Europe declined by 6.8%, mainly due to sharp drops in the EU and the UK. Meanwhile, truck and bus production in the EU are expected to recover by 5.7% and 6.2%, respectively, by year-end.
Segment trade balances diverged notably. The van sector’s trade surplus halved, truck trade surplus narrowed by 12.1%, and the bus segment’s trade deficit exceeded €1.2 billion.