Politics · United Kingdom · 7 hrs ago
France backs UK inclusion in draft EU Made in Europe rules
France has dropped its opposition to UK inclusion in the EU’s draft Made in Europe rules for the car industry.
A joint proposal from France and Germany would let the UK and Norway opt in, even though neither is an EU member.
The rules are part of a draft law designed to protect European manufacturing from low-cost competition, including from China.
The UK would have to align with EU trade measures, including tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles and future restrictions.
The British government has sought inclusion because it fears exclusion could cost carmakers billions of pounds in trade and weaken supply-chain links.
The proposal could help protect jobs and car manufacturing, but it is not yet final, and Downing Street said it had not seen the details.
France has dropped its opposition to including the UK in draft EU “Made in Europe” rules for the automotive sector, subject to conditions.
A joint Franco-German paper proposes allowing European partners that were in the EU single market on 1 January 2020 to opt in.
The proposed conditions include aligning with relevant EU trade defence measures, including tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles.
The UK government has sought inclusion but has not committed to aligning with the EU’s tariff policy.
The proposal also covers Norway, which is in the single market but not an EU member.
- Who
- France and Germany are proposing the change; the UK and Norway could opt in.
- What
- France has dropped its opposition to UK inclusion in draft “Made in Europe” rules for the automotive sector, subject to conditions.
- When
- Thursday, 15 October 2026.
- Where
- The European Union’s draft Industrial Accelerator Act.
- Why
- The proposal is intended to protect domestic manufacturing from cheap Chinese competition and would require opt-in partners to meet conditions on trade defence measures.
UK inclusion under conditions
UK inclusion without alignment
Eligibility
UK inclusion under conditions
France and Germany propose allowing the UK to opt in to the automotive rules.
UK inclusion without alignment
The UK government has not committed to aligning with EU tariffs on Chinese vehicles.
Trade policy
UK inclusion under conditions
The proposal requires alignment with relevant EU trade defence measures.
UK inclusion without alignment
Business secretary Jonathan Reynolds said the UK would not be coerced into aligning with the EU’s policy.
The head of Mercedes-Benz urged EU leaders to let the UK join the package.
UK trade minister Anas Sarwar said the UK and EU must “work together and act in lockstep” to tackle China’s dominance in the automotive sector.
France dropped its opposition and a joint Franco-German paper proposed an opt-in for European partners.
UK committee chair Liam Byrne said aligning with the EU on trade defence measures was a small price to pay to protect British manufacturing.
- Proposal
- Joint Franco-German paper
- Sector
- Automotive
- Eligible partners
- EU27 and European partners that were in the EU single market on 1 January 2020
- Potential opt-in partners
- UK and Norway
- Condition
- Alignment with relevant EU trade defence measures
What people are saying
Sometimes politics is the least worst choice – aligning with Europe on trade defence against an over-subsidised China is the way we deliver for all of us
Tariffs on these would be a small price to pay for the protection of a European manufacturing industry which safeguards jobs across supply chains in the UK and makes us less prone to coercion from China in the future
of course
not rational