German carmaker BMW yesterday said it would invest €800mn in stepping up electric vehicle production in Mexico, as the Latin American nation stands to gain from its inclusion in US subsidies that
have sparked tension with Europe. The investment includes €500mn for the construction of an assembly centre for lithium-ion batteries on the grounds of a BMW car plant in San Luis Potosí. BMW said the investment would create 1,000 jobs. The $369bn in green subsidies have sparked a tense diplomatic row with Europe, which argues they could unfairly draw investment away and breach World Trade Organization rules.
BMW said the plant was planned before the Inflation Reduction Act law and that «production follows the market» for investment considerations. On top of the proximity to the US market and its consumer tax perks for EVs, BMW said it would also benefit from Mexico’s labour force and its future supply of lithium. At a recent summit in Mexico City, the leaders of the US, Mexico and Canada reaffirmed their commitment to making the region of almost 500mn people a clean energy powerhouse. While the IRA excluded European allies from its green subsidies, the bill extended EV final assembly tax credits to Mexico and Canada.
It's time to stop crying over spilled milk and find ways to attract companies to the EU. I'm getting tired of EU officials blaming the US for those green subsidies. Just start finding solutions to this and stop complaining!
ReplyDeleteEU officials will keep this up for years to come, blaming the US for their own mistakes. What's done is done now. Find ways to deal with these things or just step down and let others take care of things.
DeleteSome countries like Mexico will win big from the green subsidies and others (from the EU) will lose unless they do something about it. Of course companies are going to go where labor is cheaper and where they get financial benefits.
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