Frankfurt am Main – IG Metall and the German Association of the Automotive Industry (VDA) today outlined their expectations for European and national climate policy in the coming years at the IAA. To secure jobs in the automotive industry, they said, a smart policy is needed that sets ambitious yet realistic goals. Technology neutrality and the coexistence of internal combustion engines and alternative powertrains are key principles in this regard. The goal must be to secure and strengthen automotive value creation throughout Europe. “For us, the 2017 IAA serves as the platform to launch an intensive public discussion on the shaping of climate protection policy in the European Union. This is of the utmost urgency, as the expected CO2 regulations will set the course for the future of the automotive industry and its workforce,” said Jörg Hofmann, First Chairman of IG Metall. The federal government’s national climate protection plan must also strike a balance between economic, ecological, and social considerations. Matthias Wissmann, VDA President, said: “The upcoming regulations must be both ambitious and feasible: Brussels and Berlin are thereby setting the decisive framework conditions for technologies, investments, and, above all, for locations and jobs in the European automotive industry through 2030.”
German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel, along with high-ranking representatives from politics, labor unions, and industry, are discussing the future of the automotive industry today at the joint IAA symposium organized by IG Metall and the VDA. Participants in the panel discussion include Michael Brecht, Chairman of the Daimler Group Works Council; Wolf-Henning Scheider, Chairman of the Executive Board and CEO of the Mahle Group; Prof. Rupert Stadler, Chairman of the Board of Management of Audi AG; and Achim Dietrich-Stephan, Chairman of the General Works Council at ZF.
Achieving the European target of 95 grams by 2020 will already require enormous efforts on the part of the industry. Alternative powertrains will play an increasingly important role in reducing CO2 emissions—on this point, IG Metall and the VDA are in agreement. IG Metall Chairman Hofmann said: “It’s not just the auto industry that is called upon to deliver even more efficient, attractive electric cars. Politicians also bear responsibility: Without the necessary infrastructure—including charging stations, sustainable power generation, storage, and distribution—the ramp-up cannot succeed. Buyers must also be won over.” VDA President Wissmann said: “That is why we oppose fixed quotas that place the responsibility solely on the automotive industry. Only through a joint effort by industry and policymakers can a significant share of electric vehicles—15 to 25 percent—be achieved in Europe by 2025. And only if customers actually purchase significantly more electric cars and other alternative drive systems can ambitious CO2 targets be met in Europe.”
Electric mobility will significantly transform automotive production, which could affect many thousands of jobs. A recent study by the ifo Institute shows that in Germany, around 600,000 current industrial jobs depend directly or indirectly on the internal combustion engine. “A simple ban on this technology, which is so important for Germany as a business location, would therefore be a mistake. A technology-neutral regulatory framework that leaves it up to companies to decide how they want to achieve emissions targets would be wiser. This would be a much better way to ensure that the industry’s transformation toward alternative powertrains does not come at the expense of employment in Germany,” said Wissmann.
In this regard, policymakers, companies, and unions should tackle the transformation process together, according to IG Metall and the VDA. Hofmann emphasized: “Value chains must be preserved. To do this, we need decisions on the industrialization of products—such as battery cells—and on investments in production sites. Policymakers must also deliver: In addition to necessary investments in infrastructure, we need labor market policies that support this transformation process through training. This is where companies and policymakers are called upon to act. Employees need security.”
In addition to the development of electric mobility, the internal combustion engine is also being further improved. Conventional engines will continue to play a key role in the mix of propulsion systems for decades to come. Wissmann said: “If we also succeed in helping synthetic fuels derived from renewable energy achieve a breakthrough, cars with internal combustion engines could also become CO2-neutral.”
IG Metall President Hofmann also calls for coordinated cooperation among companies, associations, policymakers, and others: “Only through a seamless transportation and energy transition can the shift to alternative powertrains and the transformation of the industry be effectively implemented. What is needed is better coordination of policy instruments and their respective regional implementation—this requires new forms of policy coordination. The incoming federal government must also put forward robust proposals in this regard.”
