THE EUROPEAN Commission will hold a meeting with executives of embattled automaker General Motors and other stakeholders on Friday, a spokesman for the EU’s executive arm said.
“We have invited for next Friday the highest representatives from General Motors Europe and Detroit,” spokesman Ton van Lierop told a news briefing yesterday.
He added that the industry and economy ministers from all 27 EU countries had been invited to the informal meeting with the US car giant and expected those with affected plants and suppliers to attend.
The automaker’s European affiliates and suppliers, including Germany’s Opel and UK-based Vauxhall, have come under pressure as the worst recession in decades threatens the survival of the parent company.
GM Europe submitted a rescue plan for the units last month, under which they would be partly spun off. It said an independent unit would need €3.3 billion in state aid, which has been met with caution from German authorities.
Elsewhere, Fiat’s chief executive said the firm will “fight like hell” to keep business profitable, although he admitted it would be difficult in the first quarter, according to a news report.
“Car markets have gone from bad to horrible so far this year,” Sergio Marchionne said in an industry interview published yesterday.
“I refuse to accept even the idea that our auto operations will lose money and I am reviewing all spending budgets on a daily basis,” he was quoted as saying.