Despite forecasts that over 100,000 new jobs would be created by 2025, the reality has been a net loss of nearly 56,000 positions. A further 32,000 job cuts were announced in the first six months of 2024 alone, surpassing the worst period of the pandemic and highlighting that the biggest employment impact is likely still ahead of us. These losses are driven by declining demand, rising production costs, and…

“A stronger Europe that implements what it agrees in a fair way, and that sticks to the targets of the European Green Deal with pragmatism, technology-neutrality and innovation.” This was the promise of candidate for President of the Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, in her speech before the election. She intends to stay the course on the climate goals for 2030 and 2050, adding a 90% greenhouse gas (GHG)…

The strategy underscores the need for a technology-open regulatory environment and a competitive industry capable of investing in innovation, manufacturing, and employment within the EU. The paper is meant to inform and facilitate political action at the EU-level over the next five years, which will be crucial to realising these priorities. The publication details recommendations for road transport…

Unlike protectionist trade measures, focusing on market-based principles will do more than simply buy time for European businesses to adapt to increasing global competition. The EU needs a competitiveness strategy that addresses high energy costs, access to finance, regulatory coherence, and a more agile framework to promote technological innovation. Protectionism gains momentum The results of the…

The European automotive supply industry closed 2023 with continued low profitability. Many companies struggle with profit margins below 5%, a critical threshold for securing sustainable investment and maintaining European competitiveness in a changing market. Despite these challenges, EU suppliers managed to grow their global trade surplus in conventional vehicle components, as imports from China into the…

The auto industry – one of the most important sectors of the EU economy – is at a critical junction as it makes its biggest transformation in the last century, revving up to meet the world’s most ambitious CO2 reduction targets for vehicles. Automotive manufacturers and suppliers want to maintain production in Europe, keeping jobs and investment in the region. But they are currently facing a ‘perfect storm’…

CLEPA Secretary General, Benjamin Krieger , states: “We are committed to technology-open regulation, which is the most effective and efficient way to regulate CO2 emissions from transport. Automotive suppliers encourage steps to align the regulation more closely with these principles, a stance we have consistently upheld over past years, not only for cars vans but also extending to trucks.” Mr. Krieger goes…

The automotive supply industry is the top private investor in research and development in Europe with €30 billion invested annually. It accounts for 1.7 million direct jobs and 39,000 patents each year. Moreover, 75% of the value of a car comes from suppliers. These figures show how powerful our sector is and that automotive suppliers are critical to enabling the green and digital transition in Europe. We…

“CLEPA represents over 3,000 companies, from multi-nationals to SMEs, supplying state-of-the-art components and innovative technology for safe, smart, and sustainable mobility across Europe. As the largest private investor in R&D, with 30 billion EUR invested annually, the automotive supply sector is critical to enabling the green and digital transition in Europe. Keeping Europe competitive is a task for…

CLEPA’s own research on sustainability reports reveals that suppliers are adopting green and circular strategies throughout their value chains. While vehicle production has increased over the past two years, although still below pre-pandemic levels, notable improvements have been made in reducing CO2 emissions and enhancing recycling efforts. In a sample of 27 companies, carbon emissions related to own…