Stellantis boss Antonio Filosa has come out swinging against Brussels’ latest plan for Europe’s car industry. The CEO told the Financial Times on Saturday that the European Union’s new package puts billions in manufacturing investments at serious risk across the region. His message was blunt: this isn’t what the industry needed.
The European Commission threw everyone a curveball Tuesday. They announced they’re ditching the ban on new combustion-engine cars that was supposed to kick in by 2035. Sounds like good news, right? Not according to Filosa. He reckons Brussels completely missed the point of what’s actually choking Europe’s automakers.
Here’s the thing. Filosa sat down with the FT and didn’t hold back. “There are none of the urgent measures needed to return the European automotive industry to growth,” he said. That’s pretty damning when you think about it. The guy runs one of Europe’s biggest car companies, and he’s essentially saying the EU’s plan is useless.
Look, the automotive sector in Europe is going through hell right now. Chinese manufacturers are eating everyone’s lunch with cheaper electric vehicles. American companies get fat tax breaks. European car makers? They’re stuck dealing with policy flip-flops that make planning anything beyond next quarter feel like a guessing game.
Filosa wasn’t just complaining for the sake of it. He pointed out something crucial that often gets overlooked in these debates. Without growth, he said, it becomes very difficult to think about investing more. Simple logic, really. Companies don’t pour money into regions where they can’t see a path forward.
The Stellantis chief knows what he’s talking about here. His company operates massive factories throughout Italy, France, Germany, Spain and Poland. We’re talking about plants that have been running for decades, employing tens of thousands of workers. When someone at that level says investments are at risk, people should probably listen.
Stellantis put out an official statement after Tuesday’s announcement. The company basically said the EU proposals failed to tackle the real challenges facing manufacturers today. There’s no proper roadmap for light commercial vehicles. No flexibility on those 2030 targets for passenger cars. Just vague promises and policy reversals that create more confusion than clarity.
Think about what this means for regular workers in the auto industry. Your job depends on companies continuing to invest in European plants. But why would they do that when the rules keep changing? Filosa argued that building a resilient supply chain needs additional investments over many years. You can’t create world-class manufacturing networks overnight.
The whole situation is a mess, honestly. The original ban on combustion-engine vehicles was supposed to push everyone toward electric cars. Many automakers had already committed serious money based on that 2035 deadline. Now Brussels pulls a U-turn, and manufacturers are left wondering what comes next.
Filosa emphasized something during his interview that deserves attention. He said these supply chains are vital for European jobs, prosperity and security. That’s not corporate speak. Those networks involve thousands of smaller companies spread across the continent. Break the chain, and you’re not just hurting big manufacturers. You’re devastating entire communities built around auto production.
Industry experts who spoke to the FT earlier this week echoed similar concerns. They noted the European Commission tried to satisfy both environmental groups and manufacturers. The result? A package that pleases nobody and solves nothing. Environmental campaigners are furious about abandoning climate goals. Car companies say it doesn’t address their competitive disadvantages.
The really frustrating part is how predictable this was. Brussels has been dithering on auto policy for years now. Every time the industry adapts to new rules, policymakers change direction. Filosa called out this pattern during his Saturday interview, though he was more diplomatic about it than some other executives have been recently.
What happens next matters enormously. The European Commission needs to get its act together before more companies announce they’re freezing projects. Some manufacturers have already quietly delayed investments while waiting for clearer signals. That’s code for “we’re looking at other regions where governments actually support their industries.”
Filosa’s warning about investment risk isn’t some abstract corporate threat. Stellantis could easily redirect future projects to North America or even Asia if European conditions deteriorate further. The company has global operations and plenty of options. Europe needs them more than they need Europe at this point.
The CEO made another crucial point that got buried in coverage of his interview. He said without the right support measures, it becomes impossible to build the kind of supply chain Europe needs to compete globally. That supply chain supports not just assembly plants but thousands of parts suppliers, logistics companies, and service providers.
Brussels keeps talking about maintaining Europe’s industrial base while simultaneously undermining the conditions necessary for that to happen. Filosa essentially called out this contradiction, though in more polite language than I’m using here. The automotive sector can’t thrive on mixed signals and half-measures.
You’ve got to wonder what policymakers in Brussels are thinking sometimes. They reversed course on the 2035 ban, which creates uncertainty. But they didn’t replace it with anything concrete that actually helps manufacturers compete. It’s the worst of both worlds – abandoning environmental commitments while failing to boost industrial competitiveness.
The FT interview revealed deep frustration that goes beyond just one CEO’s opinion. Filosa was speaking for an entire industry that feels abandoned by European policymakers. Automakers want clear rules, meaningful support, and policies that acknowledge the brutal competitive realities they face every day.