The future of General Motors’ Opel, Vauxhall and Saab divisions should be settled at a European level and not country by country, Belgium’s prime minister, and the premier of the Flanders region where Opel’s Antwerp factory employs 2,600 workers, has said.

Discover B2B Marketing That Performs

Combine business intelligence and editorial excellence to reach engaged professionals across 36 leading media platforms.

Find out more


They have written to the European Commission and Germany’s chancellor Angela Merkel to say that forcing other EU states to follow Germany’s lead in finding a solution is wrong.


Flemish Premier Kris Peeters told Belgian radio VRT:   “We cannot get into a situation where everyone is trying to outdo each other, in which we see how much money Germany can put on the table and how much we can.”


Flanders has offered EUR300m (US$419.1m) in credit guarantees to Opel.


Germany’s government is due to decide later today which of three bidders from Fiat, Magna International and RHJ International it would back.

GlobalData Strategic Intelligence

US Tariffs are shifting - will you react or anticipate?

Don’t let policy changes catch you off guard. Stay proactive with real-time data and expert analysis.

By GlobalData

The final decision rests with GM which has said it will take a minority stake in a new Opel/Vauxhall company. GM is expected to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in the US by the end of this week.

Just Auto Excellence Awards - The Benefits of Entering

Gain the recognition you deserve! The Just Auto Excellence Awards celebrate innovation, leadership, and impact. By entering, you showcase your achievements, elevate your industry profile, and position yourself among top leaders driving automotive industry advancements. Don’t miss your chance to stand out—submit your entry today!

Nominate Now