EU auto industry warns that Chinese competition is costing a million vehicles and 500k jobs, urging a modest CO2 limit increase and a Strasbourg protest in October
Executive summary: Vavassori declared that Chinese imports have taken away one million EU cars, putting 500 000 jobs at risk, and announced an October protest in Strasbourg calling for an 11.5 g/km CO2 increase to save the industry. The auto sector is a cornerstone of EU manufacturing; losing a million vehicles and hundreds of thousands of jobs would weaken GDP, trade balance, and regional economies, while a CO2 concession could affect climate goals.
Who is involved: Key actors include the EU automotive components federation (led by Vavassori), European carmakers, Chinese exporters, EU policymakers in Strasbourg, and auto workers.
Likely next: A protest march is scheduled for October 2026 in Strasbourg; the EU Commission may review fleet‑average CO2 limits later this year amid industry lobbying.
The statement by Vavassori, head of the EU components federation, highlights mounting pressure on European carmakers from Chinese imports and stricter emissions rules. He quantifies the loss at one million vehicles and half a million jobs, proposing a 11.5‑gram CO2 allowance increase as a lifeline. A planned demonstration in Strasbourg next month seeks to persuade policymakers to adjust the fleet‑average target before further competitiveness erosion.
Timeline
- — Vavassori: “La Cina ci sta divorando. L’Ue cambi strategia sull’auto, saremo in piazza a Strasburgo” (la Repubblica — Economia)
- — La Cina risponde agli Usa: stop all’export di 10 aziende americane su Difesa e terre rare (la Repubblica — Economia)
Analysis — what this means
Likely next events
- October 2026: EU auto components federation to hold demonstration in Strasbourg demanding CO2 limit increase.
Sectors affected
- Automotive manufacturing
- Automotive components supply chain
- EU vehicle sales market
Regulatory implications
- Possible revision of EU fleet‑average CO2 target (currently ~95 g/km) by up to +11.5 g/km as requested by industry.
Historical parallels
- 2026‑06‑22: China imposed export restrictions on ten US defense and rare‑earth firms, showing willingness to use trade levers.
Key entities
Sources
- Vavassori: “La Cina ci sta divorando. L’Ue cambi strategia sull’auto, saremo in piazza a Strasburgo” — la Repubblica — Economia
- La Cina risponde agli Usa: stop all’export di 10 aziende americane su Difesa e terre rare — la Repubblica — Economia