Within the framework of COP 28 and on the eve of next year’s EU elections, Luca de Meo, President of the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA), presented a manifesto and roadmap for a competitive mobility ecosystem.
This document was signed by the CEOs of major European vehicle manufacturers.
“Our sector is in the midst of the largest transformation in over a century. We have no doubt about the need for decarbonization,” states de Meo, who is also the CEO of the Renault Group.
“We are investing billions to make this happen, much more than any other sector,” he adds.
Given the scale of the transformation, no stakeholder alone can transform the entire mobility ecosystem.
That’s why ACEA launched this manifesto for upcoming meetings of the European Parliament and the Commission, with a roadmap based on three pillars (supply, production, and demand) that the automotive industry must implement alongside its partners.
“Our industry faces an average of eight or nine EU regulations coming into force each year until 2030; in some cases, these are contradictory standards,” explains de Meo.
“Europe urgently needs to adopt a holistic approach to the challenges of the automotive industry, spanning the entire value chain, from start to finish. Because the issues we face impact all sectors: automotive, mining, energy, infrastructure, and more. If you look at our global competitors, you’ll see they are very good at this.”
“Europe must not only ensure that we are as well-equipped as other regions but also ensure that we compete on a level playing field. Competition is very healthy, and real competition also means open global markets and fair and free trade rules,” asserts de Meo.
A key element of ACEA’s roadmap is to make Europe a hub for manufacturing eco-friendly and intelligent vehicles.
“We need to collaborate with policymakers to create the conditions to manufacture a wide range of zero-emission models, including small and affordable electric vehicles whose production is profitable in Europe,” de Meo indicates.
“This way, we can address many challenges with the same miraculous solution, especially concerning urban mobility. We also need to work on the demand side through appropriate incentive schemes tailored to their purpose, at all political levels, from the EU to urban and local authorities,” he adds.
Finally, it is worth mentioning that ACEA’s Board of Directors recently re-elected de Meo for a second year as President.
The ACEA president is elected for one year, renewable once, by the CEOs of member companies.
Read more: SEVA: “The Slovak government’s support for the purchase of EVs needs to be more robust”
