The looming trade war between the USA and Europe could profoundly disrupt the European automotive industry, with Stellantis on the front line. Indeed, the tariffs that US President Donald Trump could impose on European vehicles and components could harm the competitiveness of Old World producers, and Italian companies in particular, as Jean-Philippe Imparato, Stellantis' head of Europe, warned.
Impact on the European automotive industry
During a recent debate at the "Forza Italia" event, between Imparato and Alfredo Altavilla, former right-hand man to Sergio Marchionne and now advisor to BYD, the two men expressed shared concerns about new trade barriers, particularly those put in place by Trump. "The tariffs will have an impact not only in America, but also on the European, and especially the Italian, component," stressed Imparato. In his view, this decision could seriously disrupt supply chains and affect the competitiveness of the European automotive industry, particularly in Italy, which plays a crucial role in the production of components and finished vehicles.
Imparato made no secret of his concern about the future of vehicle production at Mirafiori, near Turin, stressing that "we need to work on our competitiveness and have free, fair and stable trade". For him, stable trade is essential if the Italian automotive industry is to meet these challenges.
Italian trade unions react
The spectre of tariffs imposed by Trump also provoked strong reactions in Italy. Fim-Cisl General Secretary Marco Laviano expressed his concern at this "real slap in the face" for Europe. In his view, the situation could plunge the Italian automotive industry into an unprecedented crisis. "It could be costly in terms of demand from the American market, a crazy choice that looks like a declaration of war against the whole of Europe", he warned.
He also recalled the importance of Stellantis production in Italy, which, alongside Germany, exports a large proportion of its production, including components. "If we also lose the export market, we'll hit rock bottom," he added.
A necessary collaboration with Chinese industry?
Faced with this complex context, Imparato and Altavilla stressed the need to strike a balance. Altavilla, a consultant at BYD, explained that the situation of trade barriers made "no sense" and emphasized the need for closer collaboration with Chinese industry, He pointed out that cooperation with China could be beneficial for both parties, enabling them to "offer technologies and products in line with the desires of European consumers". However, this openness clashes with the decisions of the European Commission, which has already imposed heavy customs duties on Chinese electric vehicles.
That's the far right...