Bosch workers call for EU action to protect local jobs amid industry shift

Key facts

• Bosch workers are calling for EU regulations to promote local production and protect jobs.
• Bosch plans to cut 13,000 jobs in its automotive business by 2030.
• The company's Mobility unit head, Frank Sell, represents around 70,000 German workers.
• Carmakers like Volkswagen, BMW, and Mercedes-Benz are facing competition, tariffs, and high production costs.
• The European Commission is considering trade measures to shield local industry from Chinese carmakers.
• EU leaders are expected to discuss the bloc's trade deficit with China next month.

Workers at auto supplier Bosch are urging the European Union to implement regulations that would promote local production and safeguard jobs within the automotive sector. Frank Sell, head of the general works council at Bosch's Mobility unit, representing approximately 70,000 German workers, stated that the industry's transformation requires keeping value creation and employment within Europe.

Bosch intends to eliminate 13,000 positions in its core automotive business by the close of the decade. This move is part of a broader trend of layoffs across the sector, as major car manufacturers like Volkswagen, BMW, and Mercedes-Benz grapple with intense competition from Chinese manufacturers, import tariffs, and elevated production expenses.

Sell specifically called for clear 'Made in the EU' regulations to foster competitiveness. The European Commission is currently evaluating potential trade measures aimed at protecting local industries from low-cost Chinese carmakers such as BYD and Chery, who are increasingly targeting European markets for expansion due to a slowdown in their domestic market. EU leaders are scheduled to address the bloc's growing trade deficit with China in the upcoming month.