Today, President Ursula von der Leyen chaired the third Strategic Dialogue on the Future of the European Automotive Industry, bringing together the European automotive industry, social partners, and other stakeholders in Brussels. The meeting reaffirmed the need to act fast to implement the Automotive Action Plan. As technology transforms mobility and geopolitics reshapes global competition, there can be no business as usual.

Led by President von der Leyen, key discussions focused, amongst others, on securing Europe's leadership in electric vehicles, accelerating innovation in autonomous and connected vehicles, and strengthening European battery manufacturing industry. The Commission is safeguarding European companies against unfair competition, improving access to critical raw materials, and supporting workers through reskilling.

On innovation, Commissioners Ekaterina Zaharieva and Apostolos Tzitzikostas signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with stakeholders to accelerate Automotive Research and Innovation at the EU level, aiming to position Europe as a leader in sustainable and smart mobility by 2035 and beyond. The MoU unites the 2Zero Partnership (focusing on zero-emission road transport), the CCAM Partnership (Connected, Cooperative, and Automated Mobility), and the BATT4EU Partnership (battery value chain innovation) with their key stakeholders and industry representatives to address the automotive sector's strategic needs.