The Italian politician nominated to become the European Union’s (EU) new industry commissioner, Antonio Tajani, has said he is ready to fight cheap Chinese auto exports by promoting quality and investment, especially on pollution and safety.
Speaking at a European Parliament confirmation hearing last night (18 January) in Strasbourg, France, he said: “We cannot compete if the Chinese are able to, really, take the bottom out of the market. But we can produce cars which produce fewer accidents on the road, cause less pollution and so on. If we have a broader market…everyone is going to have to choose between low cost [and] quality products. And I think that’s what we’ve got, we’ll have an edge.”
Go deeper with GlobalData
Discover B2B Marketing That Performs
Combine business intelligence and editorial excellence to reach engaged professionals across 36 leading media platforms.
The key would be attracting and generating additional finance for EU auto sector innovation, he said, especially for green technologies.
Tajani has said he would immediately launch a root-and-branch review of EU industrial policy to be competed this year – and the auto sector would be a key part of this consultation. This would indicate future regulation and subsidies. Long-term plans would be critical, he said: “That’s the objective: a new system of manufacturing, looking forward to 2030, 2040. It does mean looking into electric cars, hybrid vehicles and hydrogen cars as well.”
He added: “We’ve got to be able to sell cars and the best way I think is to invest in quality because that’s where the long-term potential and answers are going to reside,” said Tajani, expected to start work from 1 February.
Emma Jackson contributed
