EU auto at a crossroads, says ACEA President in open letter

Following his election to President of the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA) on 11 December 2024, Mercedes-Benz Group Chief Executive Ola Källenius vowed to boost the region’s global competitiveness. In a statement, he highlighted regulations, market-driven decarbonisation, and international trade as focus points for his tenure.

In an open letter dated 16 January 2025 and directed at the presidents of the European Commission (Ursula von der Leyen) and Parliament (Roberta Metsola), Källenius formulated his vision for renewed growth. Overall, he characterised the collective effort required as equal to the “ambitious mindset”, “optimism” and “boldness” that guided the restoration of Notre-Dame de Paris. “This is all the more important when you consider the situation in which we find ourselves—where geopolitical and macroeconomic challenges, a complex and unprecedented transformation, and intensified global competition threaten Europe’s status.”