European car makers push EU for exemptions to safeguard Turkey operations

The European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association has appealed to the European Union to include specific exemptions for its members’ existing facilities in Turkey within the forthcoming “Made in EU” legislation. ACEA’s executive head of policy and strategy, Maria Linkova-Nijs, warned that omitting the heavy-commercial-vehicle segment—where ACEA firms built 29,000 trucks and 8,500 buses in 2025—could undermine their competitiveness and threaten long-term capital.

The request follows a Franco-German negotiating position that leaves Turkey out while allowing Britain’s inclusion, and it aligns with ACEA’s broader support for the Industrial Accelerator Act aimed at countering Chinese competition. Turkish Automotive Manufacturers Association chairman Cengiz Eroldu criticised the stance as ignoring three decades of customs-union-driven integration and warned of risks to both European investors and Turkish producers. Industry representatives met with Trade Minister Ömer Bolat on October 19 and will keep lobbying EU institutions and member states for provisions that preserve joint production and supply chains.