The launch of the new CARS 2020 Action Plan for automotive industry was announced on 4 February 2015 by Elżbieta Bieńkowska, Commissioner responsible for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMES.

The new Action Plan will help foster competitiveness of the automotive industry and guide the sector through the ongoing mobility revolution.   

Following the previous successful CARS 2020 process, the new plan aims to help the sector face new challenges stemming from technological changes, globalisation and a new approach to mobility that requires a coordinated approach on the EU level.

The plan, which will cover a period of two years, aims at re-shaping the position of the European automotive sector and give it a proper direction for future development. A High Level Group with a broad participation of the Commissioners and Member States will be created.

The new process focuses on two main objectives: strengthening the competiveness of the automotive sector, both in Europe and externally; driving the sector through the ongoing mobility revolution and making Europe the key player and trendsetter in the domains of innovative modes of transport and intelligent transport systems.

Further details as well as the very final structure of the process will be discussed during the next meeting of the Competitiveness Council at the beginning of March 2015.