German auto-state leaders call for swift EU and federal support to safeguard industry

In a coordinated statement, the heads of government from Niedersachsen, Baden-Württemberg and Bayern warned that the German automotive industry faces irreversible risks without a mix of competitive home-market rules, robust protection mechanisms and equitable WTO-based trade. They highlighted the sector’s importance to the national industrial base and called for the EU to broaden anti-subsidy investigations to Chinese hybrid cars, using existing tariffs on electric models as a precedent.

The ministers urged the federal government to keep labour costs stable through future-proof social security reforms and to reduce energy expenses such as grid fees and electricity taxes. They also pressed the EU for broader low-price industrial electricity, support for autonomous driving, expanded charging infrastructure, and incentives for both new and used electric vehicles. Finally, they demanded deregulation, relaxed state-aid rules and clearer “Made in Europe” content standards to lessen dependence on China for batteries and components.