Stellantis and Renault have called on the UK government to secure inclusion in the European Union's proposed "Made in Europe" legislation, which aims to protect the bloc's automotive sector. Emanuele Cappellano, who leads Stellantis's European brands including Fiat, Citroën, Opel and Vauxhall, and François Provost, chief executive of Renault, said the UK should be treated as one of the EU's 27 member states for the purposes of the new rules.
The two automakers' public backing represents a significant intervention by major Continental car producers in UK trade policy. Stellantis operates major British manufacturing operations through its Vauxhall brand, while Renault maintains production capacity across the EU. Both executives also urged the UK government to consider restricting imports of Chinese vehicles, signalling shared concern about competition from Chinese carmakers entering European markets.
The "Made in Europe" legislation remains under development within EU institutions. Its exact scope and enforcement mechanisms have not yet been finalised. The proposal appears designed to establish content or origin requirements for vehicles sold in the EU market, though the Guardian excerpt does not detail specific tariff levels, local content thresholds or implementation timelines.
The UK's post-Brexit status complicates participation in EU regulatory frameworks. The country is no longer an automatic member of EU rulemaking processes. Any British inclusion in EU automotive protection measures would require separate negotiation or a new trade agreement provision.
Chinese vehicle manufacturers have accelerated expansion into European markets in recent years. Tesla, BYD and other Chinese brands have established or expanded manufacturing and sales operations on the continent. EU policymakers and industry leaders have expressed concern about the pace of Chinese market penetration and competitive pressure on traditional European automakers.
Whether the UK government will pursue alignment with EU automotive rules remains unclear from this excerpt. The government has previously signalled both commitment to domestic automotive competitiveness and openness to diverging from EU standards where it judges national interests require it. No official UK government response to Stellantis and Renault's call appears in the provided material.