“The world does not wait for us”
The EU must quickly begin reducing bureaucracy and stop with obligations and sanctions. If a German interest group says that, it must be truly bad.
Appeals and urgent pleas from the European automotive industry to governments are commonplace these days, but that only makes them more relevant, not less. This indeed underscores that the need among European car manufacturers is actually high. Hildegard Müller, chairwoman of the German Association of the Automotive Industry (VDA), is also sounding the alarm in the run-up to the next EU summit in March. All major German car manufacturers are affiliated with the VDA, which regularly features on this site due to its important role. “A different European policy is absolutely necessary for the European automotive industry,” states Müller. According to her, the EU must primarily focus on the interests of its own industry on the world stage and within Europe. “The world does not wait for us,” she says. “On the contrary: competitors are watching Europe and exploiting its weaknesses to gain a leading position and achieve economic growth.”
To improve the situation, Müller believes fewer rules are especially needed. The EU is not yet delivering on its promises in that regard, Müller notes, because by 2025 more European laws will have been introduced than ever before in the past 15 years. Electricity costs must decrease, innovation must be stimulated instead of hindered. The EU must approve prepared free trade agreements much faster and pursue a clear and realistic policy when it comes to autonomous and electric driving. “Away from obligations and sanctions and towards market-oriented incentives,” Müller concludes.