Industry Groups Urge EU to Back Low-Carbon Aluminium in Vehicle CO2 Rules
European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association and European Aluminium have called on the European Union to revise its CO2 regulations for cars and vans to include incentives for low-carbon aluminium, arguing that the move is critical to safeguarding Europe’s industrial competitiveness and decarbonisation goals.
In a joint statement released in Brussels, the two industry organisations said Europe’s automotive and aluminium sectors were “deeply interdependent” and required a coordinated policy framework to maintain industrial leadership, economic security and strategic autonomy.
The groups warned that excluding aluminium from the EU’s compensatory mechanism for low-carbon materials under vehicle CO2 regulations would create regulatory inconsistency, particularly as aluminium is already classified as a strategic material under the Critical Raw Materials Act.
The associations argued that both steel and aluminium are fundamental materials in vehicle manufacturing and should be treated equally under European legislation. They said expanding the compensatory mechanism to include low-carbon aluminium would encourage investment in cleaner production technologies while supporting automotive lightweighting and emissions reduction.
The organisations also called for the timeline for implementing incentives for low-carbon materials to be accelerated, rather than waiting until 2035. They said bringing the mechanism into force immediately after the revised regulation is adopted would help stimulate early demand for low-carbon industrial materials and avoid delays in decarbonisation efforts.
A further recommendation focused on establishing a formal EU-wide definition of low-carbon aluminium under the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation by the end of 2027. The groups said a clear methodology was necessary to ensure credible implementation of both automotive CO2 rules and broader industrial decarbonisation policies.
The statement highlighted the economic importance of both sectors, noting they collectively support more than 14.5 million jobs across Europe and underpin industries ranging from defence and transport to advanced electronics and renewable energy infrastructure.
European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association represents 17 major vehicle manufacturers operating in Europe, including BMW Group, Mercedes-Benz, Volkswagen Group and Stellantis.
Meanwhile, European Aluminium represents more than 100 companies and associations involved in aluminium production, recycling and manufacturing across 30 European countries.
The joint intervention reflects growing concern among European industrial sectors that decarbonisation policies must also preserve manufacturing competitiveness and supply chain resilience. Aluminium producers are increasingly positioning low-carbon metal as strategically important to Europe’s clean industrial transition, particularly as automakers seek lighter materials to improve vehicle efficiency. The debate also highlights a broader policy challenge for the EU: balancing aggressive climate regulation with industrial protection at a time of rising global competition and escalating trade tensions around green
