In the context of economic crisis, EU ministers for transport have met in Brussels to analyze some strategies for the recovery of the automotive sector in Europe.

EU-27 ministers with responsibility for the automotive sector have been called to an extraordinary meeting in Brussels by the Vice President of the European Commission and new EU Commissioner for Industry, Antonio Tajani, to discuss the economic situation of the car industry.

Possible short to medium-term measures for stimulating recovery in the automotive sector will be discussed at the meeting, and the participants are also expected to talk about the restructuring plans of US group General Motors for its Opel plants in Europe. General Motors is planning to cut 8,370 jobs and is seeking state aid of 2.7 billion euros to keep its European subsidiary afloat. Spain could see 900 jobs lost at the Opel plant in Figueruelas (Zaragoza).

Mr Tajani's predecessor as Commissioner for Industry, Germany's Günther Verheugen, addressed the possibility of General Motors undergoing a reorganisation in Europe on several occasions, and asked EU countries not to compete against each other for subsidies for GM-Opel, since this could put the internal market at risk and upset European competition rules.

The Brussels meeting will also follow up on the Informal Meeting of Ministers of Competitiveness, held on 8 and 9 February in San Sebastián (Spain), which discussed the plans for putting the EU electric car initiative into action.