The minister-presidents of Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria, and Lower Saxony have issued a joint position paper urging the German federal government and the EU to bolster the automotive sector. The document calls for reduced bureaucracy and enhanced investment in key technologies, including batteries and semiconductors, to maintain industrial competitiveness.
Cem Özdemir advocates for the swift adoption of the Industrial Accelerator Act and the implementation of Local Content rules to protect European value creation. He emphasizes the need for strategic protective instruments to counter heavily subsidized imports, ensuring that manufacturing remains within Germany and Europe.
Olaf Lies highlights the necessity of supporting electromobility through lower electricity taxes to reduce charging costs. He suggests that federal funding should increasingly target used electric vehicles to improve affordability and stresses the importance of sustainable battery technology for job retention.
Markus Söder calls for technology openness, specifically requesting an end to the combustion engine phase-out and a reform of CO2 fleet limits. He argues against rigid bans and penalties, proposing that high-tech combustion engines should continue to play a role alongside electric vehicles to ensure economic prosperity.
The initiative responds to significant labor market shifts, noting that the German automotive sector has experienced a decline in employment since 2018. Official data indicates that approximately 52 000 jobs were lost in the industry during the previous year alone, particularly within the supplier segment.
