Ahead of an upcoming supervisory board meeting at Volkswagen, Federal Labor Minister and SPD leader Bärbel Bas has increased pressure on the automaker. Speaking to the Funke Media Group’s Friday editions, Bas stipulated that if politicians provide supportive framework conditions for the automotive industry, Volkswagen must, in return, guarantee the safety of its German sites and jobs. She stressed that this arrangement is not a one-sided deal, stating, “If we helping companies with the framework conditions, I also expect site security in return.”
The pressure comes against a backdrop of Volkswagen’s internal restructuring and cost-cutting plans. Media reports indicate that the future of several German plants is at risk. Specifically, production in Emden and Zwickau could cease by 2031, Hannover by 2032, and the Audi plant in Neckarsulm by 2034. The VW supervisory board is set to address these plans Friday, but no definitive decision has yet been reached.
In response, Bas is demanding concrete commitments from Volkswagen, stating that the company must guarantee that production continues and that the locations and jobs are secured. She argued that while Volkswagen makes profits, companies cannot expect the state to create ideal conditions and then subsequently move production to other countries.
However, Bas does not anticipate increased direct state involvement in Volkswagen. She believes state intervention could be logical for critical infrastructure, but since Lower Saxony is already involved in the VW matter, she sees no reason for the federal government to step in. Instead, Bas suggested they could find other ways to support the automotive sector.
As potential policy measures, she highlighted the use of European trade instruments. For instance, she suggested that the government could reconsider tariffs on cars imported from China, given that subsidized Chinese hybrid vehicles are currently flooding the German market. Simultaneously, she insisted that measures must be explored to strengthen the industry and support the ongoing transformation process. Bas also pointed to her party’s recent concessions in automotive policy, noting that the SPD has already moved on issues such as the timeline for remaining hybrid vehicles.
