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News from Brussels
Following today’s Antwerp Declaration Summit and ahead of the Alden Biesen meeting of EU leaders, the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA) is calling for concrete action in 2026 to restore competitiveness and secure Europe’s industrial future.
The diagnosis from the Antwerp discussions is unambiguous: there is no resilient, safe or strong Europe without a strong European industry.
“The automotive sector is a cornerstone of Europe’s manufacturing ecosystem, providing more than 13 million people with jobs and the largest private investor in research and innovation. We endorse the Antwerp call for coordinated measures that safeguard high-quality jobs and restore Europe’s industrial strength,” stated Sigrid de Vries, ACEA Director General. “The success of Europe’s decarbonisation pathway for road transport depends on a thriving and competitive industrial base in Europe.”
Addressing President von der Leyen at the Antwerp Summit, Karin Radström, ACEA’s Commercial Vehicle Chair and CEO of Daimler Truck, underlined that decarbonising heavy-duty vehicles is a capital-intensive endeavour requiring a coherent and enabling policy framework. In this regard, the segment needs a more radical approach to regulatory simplification to free resources for electrification, starting with the Euro 7 regulation.
What is crucial in 2026 is to continue with a targeted “three-lane” pragmatic approach to decarbonisation to ensure that policies reflect the unique conditions of passenger cars, vans, trucks&buses. The current Commission’s proposal for compliance relief for cars and vans for 2030 CO2 emission-reduction targets is not sufficient and should be strengthened by the Parliament and Council. Whilst the Clean Corporate Vehicle proposal recognises the need to create demand measures, it needs to be rebalanced with incentives to accelerate the much-needed market-driven transition towards zero-emission mobility. The transition will only accelerate if the EU and Member States double down on enabling conditions today – from grid upgrades and infrastructure roll-out to purchase incentives and lower electricity prices for charging.
Europe’s vehicle manufacturers remain fully committed to climate neutrality. With the right framework conditions in place, the automotive industry stands ready to contribute to a competitive, sustainable and resilient European economy.