CLEPA - European Association of Automotive Suppliers

02/18/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 02/18/2026 11:06

The “European vehicle”: Choosing sovereignty over dependency

CLEPA's President, Matthias Zink, and Vice-Presidents, Iñigo Laskurain, Jean-Luc di Paola Galloni, Marco Stella, have issued an open letter urging President Ursula von der Leyen and EU Commissioners to safeguard the industry's competitiveness. While welcoming global competition, he warns that distortive subsidies, state-backed overcapacity and unilateral tariffs are placing European automotive suppliers at a structural disadvantage.

To bolster industrial resilience and sustain high-quality jobs, CLEPA calls for:

  • A 75% local content threshold at the vehicle level for public support,
  • Targeted and gradual thresholds for critical technologies such as electric powertrains and electrical & electronic components.

A clear and ambitious definition of the 'European vehicle' is essential to ensure that the value of the mobility transformation remains anchored in Europe.

Read the full letter below

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