PRESS RELEASE German and European union leaders call on the EU to act: Save Europe’s auto industry

On the day of the Strategic Dialogue on the Future of the Automotive Industry, IG Metall and IndustriAll Europe published a joint letter. In it, they warn that Europe’s automotive sector is facing a “perfect storm” of declining production, global competition, and a turbulent transition to clean mobility.

The unions are urging the EU to take immediate action to boost demand for affordable zero-emission vehicles, secure resilient supply chains, and protect the 13 million workers whose livelihoods depend on the industry. They emphasize that the time for diagnosis is over—only bold, concrete decisions can secure Europe’s industrial base.

Judith Kirton-Darling, General Secretary of industriAll European Trade Union, and Christiane Benner, First Chair of IG Metall, emphasize: “Decarbonization is non-negotiable—but the transformation must be just. Europe’s auto workers expect swift, concrete, and bold decisions. Their future and Europe’s industrial strength are at stake.”

IG Metall and industriAll Europe, which represent workers in the automotive industry and its supply chains, stress that climate goals and industrial policy must go hand in hand—with strong social protection measures, investments, and a fair transition for workers.

Joint Letter

Further information and press photos of Christiane Benner