A study conducted by the Fraunhofer Institute, commissioned by the organization Transport and Environment, indicates that the current car trade agreements between Germany and France threaten up to 344,000 new jobs across Europe, with the largest number of these jobs expected within Germany.
The research examines the potential impact of EU standards concerning the electrification of large corporate car fleets and the requirements for vehicles manufactured in Europe. These standards are currently under review following an agreement between German Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) and French President Emmanuel Macron, who advocated for softening these rules. Specifically, the two leaders called for greater flexibility rather than a fixed EU target for the share of electric vehicles in corporate new car purchases, as well as weaker standards for vehicles made within Europe.
According to the analysis, German manufacturers and their locations stand to benefit significantly from the EU initiatives-provided that Merz and Macron do not dilute the original plans. If the EU targets are maintained, an estimated 134,000 additional jobs could be created in Germany alone by 2030, solely through the proposed electrification of major corporate car fleets. Furthermore, the EU requirements could generate between 14,000 and 56,000 additional positions just at Volkswagen by 2030. Outside of Germany, major automotive manufacturers in Poland (38,500 jobs) and Slovakia (26,200 jobs) are projected to benefit substantially.
Susanne Goetz, an e-mobility specialist from Transport and Environment, commented to newspapers that the VW example demonstrates that Germany could particularly benefit as a strong industrial location. She warned that if the German government truly aims to protect jobs at VW, it should cease diluting planned legislation in favor of traditional combustion engine vehicles. She added that the recent agreement between Merz and Macron was hardly an example of foresight.
