European automotive supplier body, CLEPA, is to lobby the European Commission jointly with industry OEMs to secure a larger slice of any potential future funding from politicans in order to boost sector competitiveness.
CLEPA CEO, Jean-Marc Gales, made the comments today (7 June) to just-auto following exhaustive talks that lasted all day yesterday in Brussels as the second major CARS 21 grouping met in the Belgian capital.
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“If you look at our share as GDP in Europe as automotive, it is about 7%,” Gales told just-auto. “You should see something like EUR5.5bn (US$6.9bn) in restructuring development – this is fundamental.”
But the CLEPA chief has branded as “absolutely inadequate” suggestions in some quarters this total might amount to just EUR2bn, insisting the figure was nowhere near what was required to meet the challenges of the future.
“It is a huge difference,” he said. “EUR2bn for the car industry that represents 7% – we are pushing for more. We have the same position as the carmakers – we will do everything we can including lobbying [the European] Parliament – on this subject there will be joint lobbying.”
Any future funding would form part of the Horizon 2020 programme and Gales cited just five major areas of future development of which his members were at the forefront – and which could require significant investment.
Decarbonisation, advanced internal combustion engines, powertrain systems, advanced light-weight materials, intelligent transport systems, manufacturing and engineering were all key areas insisted the CLEPA CEO, for the European Commission to back.
“Frankly, for the jobs and competitiveness of our industry, this is what we expect,” he said.
