EU must do more for manufacturers, BMW chairman says
08/08/2014
Speaking on August 5 at a press conference to present the automotive group’s first-half performance, Dr Reithofer said the EU will continue to lose ground to regions in Asia and the Americas if it fails to keep up productivity, keep a strong industrial base and keep innovating, particularly in what he called “sustainable mobility”.
To be able to do this, he said Europe must remain an open market and an advocate of free trade. “This is why the BMW Group is supporting efforts to conclude a free trade agreement between the EU and the US,” he added.
He went on to say he believes the automotive industry represents an excellent example of the role European manufacturers can play, claiming the sector is responsible for 12 million direct and indirect jobs in Europe. “This makes the car industry the EU’s largest employer,” he said. “It is also the EU’s biggest exporter.”
However, he said the BMW Group, as a global player, has to achieve balanced growth around the world with a balanced distribution of production. “We need to operate production sites in the three large world regions: Europe, Asia and America,” Dr Reithofer continued. “Our production follows the market.”
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