Stellantis and Renault back UK inclusion in proposed EU car protections
Original report:
Stellantis and Renault executives backed including Britain in proposed European manufacturing protections, according to an October 2026 report. Both also urged the UK to reconsider its approach to Chinese car imports as eligibility rules for subsidies and public procurement were debated.
Executives from Stellantis and Renault supported treating Britain like an EU member for proposed car-industry protections, the Guardian reported on 12 October 2026. Speaking at the Paris motor show, Stellantis’s Emanuele Cappellano and Renault chief executive François Provost backed UK inclusion in the proposed Industrial Accelerator Act. Its automotive provisions would link EV grants and public purchases to European production and components.
Both executives also pressed Britain to consider restrictions on Chinese car imports. Provost linked participation in Europe’s industrial framework to questions about import levels, while Cappellano advocated considering tariffs. The report said London had resisted imposing such tariffs, but business secretary Jonathan Reynolds had announced a review that month.
The eligibility debate matters for British manufacturing because an EU-only definition could exclude UK-built vehicles from the proposed benefits. Stellantis operates a van factory in Ellesmere Port, and industry groups ACEA and Clepa also supported UK inclusion. The report described the legislation’s geographic scope and component requirements as still under negotiation.
Source
the Guardian — 12 October 2026
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