In Italy, the market for electrified cars is in a very critical situation, but there is now a government commitment to review the scheme of incentives for demand for electric cars and support for recharging infrastructure by the end of the month. This is the most important result of the meeting at the Ministry of Enterprise and Made in Italy between Stellantis, the trade union organizations and Minister Adolfo Urso. An approach that the company has made it known that it “appreciated”. According to union sources, Urso would have declared continuity with what was done by the previous government, supporting the principle of technological neutrality.
The government would have guaranteed funding to support the sector with an already planned expenditure of 2.6 billion euros for the period 2022-2024, while six billion would remain to be spent by 2030. The executive would intend to support technological neutrality and social sustainability. Urso himself, in a tweet, declared: «The goal is to safeguard the automotive supply chain. It is a central axis of Italian industry».
For Stellantis, a spokesman explained, “it was a moment of productive and constructive dialogue to confirm Italy’s central role in the group’s strategies”. The company reiterated that, in just over two years since its establishment, it continues to develop its Dare Forward 2030 strategic plan at a rapid pace on the ecological and digital transition front with the aim of guaranteeing the sustainability and competitiveness of its Italian sites. The company is convinced that it is necessary to continue working on a structural and coordinated plan to accompany the transition of the entire automotive sector, including the supply chain, addressing the critical issues related to training and competitiveness, starting with the cost of energy to support investments for the installation of plants for the production of renewable energy.
«It was an important meeting – said the general secretary of Fiom CGIL, Michele De Palma – because it raised two questions: employment and production, themes that we believe are fundamental for the male and female workers of the Italian factories of Stellantis. But there’s a problem: the company says it needs financial resources to support the demand for car purchases. We think that an extraordinary fund should be created for the regeneration of the Italian plants, to guarantee employment and to innovate the products that are made in our country».
Ferdinando Uliano (Fim Cisl) added that “it was a positive first meeting with the new government and the company’s confirmations on Melfi, Mirafiori and Cassino were good”. While according to Rocco Palombella, Uilm secretary, the issue of transition remains open: “We don’t know how they want to deal with it”.