Stellantis and Renault have backed the UK car industry for inclusion in proposed EU rules aimed at protecting European manufacturing. Emanuele Cappellano, who leads Stellantis’s European brands, and François Provost, CEO of Renault, stated that the UK should be counted as one of the EU’s 27 member states for the proposed “Made in Europe” legislation.
The new rules are intended to ensure EU subsidies and government procurement benefit European industry. Both executives, speaking at the Paris motor show, also urged the British government to consider limiting imports of Chinese cars.
The EU confirmed on Monday that it would limit the number of hybrid electric vehicles imported from China to 350,000 cars a year. This quota is expected to halve China’s market share of 6% and will come into force in December.
Under the proposed Industrial Accelerator Act (IAA), cars will need to be “made in Europe” and contain sufficient European parts to qualify for EV grants and public body purchases in the EU. Stellantis, which operates a factory in Ellesmere Port, Merseyside, is among manufacturers lobbying for the UK's inclusion.
Provost indicated that a deal between the UK and EU was necessary, but also said the UK would need to stop allowing unlimited Chinese car imports. The UK business secretary, Jonathan Reynolds, stated this month that the decision on imposing tariffs on Chinese imports is under review.