Automotive News Europe — 2026-04-08
Automotive Industry
U.S. automakers have accused the European Union of trying to block imports of large pickups from Ford Motor Co., General Motors and Stellantis, with the American ambassador to the bloc saying that a rule change could violate the spirit of a trade deal with the Trump administration, according to a report in the Financial Times.
The large pickups are imported under the EU’s Individual Vehicle Approval (IVA) framework, which allows the sale of a limited number of models without having to go through the full homologation (type-approval) process.
About 7,000 such large pickups, such as the Ford F-150 or Ram 1500, were sold in Europe in 2024, according to the environmental lobbying group Transport & Environment. Transport & Environment and other advocacy groups have warned that allowing more large American pickups to be sold in Europe would increase risks for pedestrians, cyclists and other drivers, as well as allow automakers to skirt emissions rules.
The clash over the pickups could overshadow a broader trade deal reached in August in which Trump has agreed to cut tariffs on European imports from 27.5 to 15 percent, the Financial Times said in a report April 8. The EU agreed to reduce its tariffs on U.S. vehicles from 10 percent to zero.
The two sides also agreed to prepare a framework to harmonize vehicle regulations, which could allow imports of more European models to the U.S. European automakers could benefit more from such a move, because many American models are not suitable for European roads or driver preference, or are not able to meet the EU’s ever-tightening fleet emissions standards.
The agreement was finalized last year but the EU has not ratified it
“Right now Europe is in a better position than the U.S.,” an executive at one Detroit 3 carmaker told the Financial Times, if the EU secured lower tariffs and U.S. vehicles were shut out.
The European Commission is planning to revise the individual vehicle approval rules with a final version expected in 2027.
“We would hope . . . issues like the IVA will be resolved in the spirit and consistent with the terms of that agreement,” the U.S. ambassador to the EU, Andrew Puzder, told the Times. “You can’t have low tariffs and massive non-tariff trade barriers and claim you’ve got a functioning relationship.”
The executive at the U.S. carmaker told the Times: “The U.S. administration is aware that not only is Europe dragging its feet on the trade agreement, but they’re also looking at restricting U.S. products and limiting customer choice in Europe.”
The Times said that the American Automotive Policy Council, the lobby group for Ford, GM and Stellantis, which owns the Ram trucks brand, has urged the Trump administration to block the EU’s move to tighten the type approval rules.
According to Transport & Environment, about 5,200 of the 7,000 pickups sold in Europe in 2024 were from Ram. The European Commission, GM and Ford declined to comment to the Times. Ram did not immediately respond to a request for comment.