MILAN (Reuters) – The Italian government aims to agree a broad plan to 2030 for its national automotive industry with carmaker Stellantis and other groups involved by the end of this year, industry minister sources said on Tuesday.
Industry Minister Adolfo Urso told unions earlier on Tuesday, in a meeting in Rome, that he was holding talks with Fiat-maker Stellantis, Italy’s sole major automaker, to set up a work programme by the end of September, the sources said.
The programme would focus on themes including an increase in vehicle output in Italy, a strengthening of R&D activity, increased efficiency in terms of labour costs, energy and logistics, investments in green transition and worker training.
The signing of the long term plan at the end of this year will also involve unions, local governments and automotive lobby group ANFIA, the sources said.
Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares and Urso agreed last month on an ambition to increase annual automotive output in the country, reversing a downward trend seen in recent years, although without specifying a time frame.
A more detailed deal was initially expected by the end of July and then by mid-August.
Tavares has said a production target of one million vehicles in Italy was well within reach for Stellantis but that government support was key.
Stellantis, the parent of brands including Fiat and Alfa Romeo, produced fewer than 700,000 vehicles in Italy in 2021 and in 2022, including vans. According to some forecasts the output will likely rise to over 800,000 units this year.
Fiat Chrysler, which merged with France’s PSA in early 2021 to create Stellantis, last produced over one million vehicles in Italy back in 2017.
(Reporting by Giulio Piovaccari and Giuseppe Fonte; Editing by Keith Weir)
