[ad_1]
Berlin (dpa) – The ailing auto industry can look forward to additional help for structural change.
However, it is not about taking direct action against the acute sales crisis, such as expanding purchase premiums to include modern gasoline and diesel cars, but about strengthening the equity of suppliers in particular.
A working group will examine whether, and how, a “market economy concept” could be developed at the next high-level meeting in November. That stems from an outcome document from the “automobile summit” Tuesday night, as announced by the federal government. State purchase premiums for cars with modern internal combustion engines, as required by the CSU, are not mentioned.
IG Metall, Greens and SPD had campaigned for a state investment fund to help midsize companies in the auto industry. Many midsize suppliers are still attached to combustion engines and have been weakened by the Corona crisis, but they have to invest a lot of money in structural changes.
According to the document, it is also convenient to examine what other aspects should be taken into account in the “future investments” in the industry foreseen in the economic stimulus package of the federal government. In June, the coalition decided on an additional program totaling two billion euros. This is intended to promote investments in new technologies, for example. The Ministry of Economy is currently working on implementation.
The top round also agreed to advance digital transformation around cars and autonomous driving. The charging network for electric cars should be more accessible to customers.
Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU), federal ministers and representatives of automobile manufacturers and unions, as well as prime ministers of “automobile” countries, participated in a video conference that evening.
The president of the VDA Automobile Association, Hildegard Müller, said: “Politicians are aware of the tense situation in the automotive industry. The situation with suppliers in particular remains dire, we are not out of the woods yet.” The stimulus package measures must be implemented quickly and vigorously. Lower Saxony Prime Minister Stephan Weil (SPD) said: “I am personally convinced that government support services will be needed sooner or later, in whatever form they are provided.”
The CSU had renewed demands for combustion engine purchase premiums to stimulate declining demand during the Corona crisis. Modern gasoline and diesel cars could reduce CO2 emissions and help the industry emerge from the crisis. Cars with internal combustion engines are currently being produced in “arsenals”, Transport Minister Andreas Scheuer (CSU) said on Tuesday in Deutschlandfunk: “They have to leave the farm.”
Scheuer warned of massive unemployment in the auto industry with hundreds of thousands of employees. Bavarian Prime Minister and CSU leader Markus Söder said that many had not yet understood the seriousness of the situation. A large part of the wealth in Bavaria and Germany depends on the automobile.
Merkel had already dampened expectations before the conference. She made it clear that she is not assuming there will be a quick decision on more help for the auto industry.
In June, the automotive industry – and with it the heads of governments of the “automobile countries” Bavaria, Lower Saxony and Baden-Württemberg – demanded state premiums for the purchase of combustion engines in the debate on an economic stimulus package. But that had failed due to resistance, especially from the SPD leadership.
Instead, the black-red coalition decided to cut VAT and significantly higher government premiums for the purchase of electric cars. New registrations of electric cars have increased significantly recently, but are still at a low level. Manufacturers continue to do most of their business selling gasoline and diesel cars. But its sales figures are falling. In addition, there are long delivery times for electric cars.
The German auto industry faces significant economic and structural challenges, according to the auto summit outcome document. For Germany to remain a “leading global and open-technology location” for the automotive industry, the challenges now need to be addressed more intensively: new drive technologies, digitization, good jobs and climate protection are named.
Germany should take a leading role in autonomous driving. With the autonomous driving law currently being prepared, Germany wants to be the first country in the world to allow autonomous vehicles in regular operation as well as in the entire national scope of application. The goal is for vehicles with autonomous driving functions to go into regular operation by 2022.
In addition, a “mobility data room” will be created. The auto industry wants mobility data to be available “within the scope of freedom of contract.” VDA President Müller said it was about optimizing traffic, for example through better data exchange between public bodies and users of cars and commercial vehicles. In addition, a group of experts will present proposals for the use and implementation of the alternative fuels market before the end of the year.
By establishing a charging network for electric cars, the ministers of economy and transport must meet “without delay” with the energy industry for a second high-level meeting. Specific agreements must be reached on a uniform payment system and a use of the charging stations that facilitates the customer. Associations like ADAC complain that very different pricing models have been used at public charging stations.
© dpa-infocom, dpa: 200908-99-469729 / 10
