Ref. Ares(2018)1314164 - 09/03/2018
Ref. Ares(2018)2930907 - 05/06/2018
Minutes of the meeting with Volkswagen on 28 February 2018
Subjet : Mexico and Mercosur negotiations
Present
Cabinet CM: :
CEBALLOS BARON Miguel;
DG TRADE:
[Art.4.1(b)]
, [Art.4.1(b)]
VW :
Christof Sebastian Klitz, [Art.4.1(b)]
EU-Mercosur negotiations
VW explained they are fully supportive of the EU-Mercosur agreement.
VW has an important commercial and manufacturing presence in Brazil. VW is confident that the
liberalisation of the markets will be beneficial for both the EU and Mercosur. VW plants based in Brazil
and Argentina are now very focused on the domestic markets and looking for export opportunities to
the rest of the world.
M. Machnig, the German State Secretary at the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy has
been in touch with BRA authorities in support of the negotiations.
From a geostrategic point of view, it would also be important that the EU concludes these negotiations,
as an example against some protectionist trends.
EU- Mexico negotiations
The main issue is the rules of origin. VW confirmed that the different models produced in MX and
exported to the EU comply with the current EU rules of origin. VW sees no need to relax the EU normal
rule whatever happens to NAFTA. VW is fully in line with the ACEA position that the COM should stick to
the new EU standard rules : 45% max non originating material exw.
VW explained that it would be premature to differentiate the rules of origin for electric cars, but
acknowledged that a review clause for that segment could be a good way forward.