Italy, France, Germany plan competitiveness push on Brussels: Report

Italy, France and Germany’s leaders are readying a letter to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen with calls for concrete action to boost EU-wide investment and help the automotive sector. 

According to Italian daily La Repubblica, Emmanuel Macron, Giorgia Meloni and Friedrich Merz have already agreed on several objectives that they plan to put forward in a letter to the Commission president in the coming weeks. These objectives include a request to help the automotive sector in the transition to technological neutrality through dedicated financial instruments.

POLITICO’s Morning Mobility newsletter reported on the push by Rome, Paris and Berlin last week. Meloni mentioned the initiative in an address to the Italian parliament in late June.

According to the Repubblica report, in addition to the automotive sector, the leaders will also call for a push to invest in innovation, defense and space; as well as for an effort to contain energy prices.

Other aspects of the collective push are still being negotiated. France would like to request incentives for electric vehicles, with Germany more cautious on this point, Repubblica said.

Tensions are also yet to be resolved on whether to include a reference to the Mercosur trade agreement, according to the report.