The ECR Group in the European Committee of the Regions (CoR) held its 2026 thematic Seminar in Debrecen, Hungary, bringing together regional and local leaders, industry representatives and experts to call for a more pragmatic path for a competitive, innovative and resilient European automotive sector.
Hosted by Lajos Barcsa, Member of the ECR Group in the CoR and Deputy Mayor of Debrecen, the seminar focused on the future of Europe’s automotive sector amid fierce global competition, high energy prices, growing regulatory burdens and supply-chain vulnerabilities. Discussions focused, in particular, on EU CO₂ emission standards for cars and vans, the socioeconomic impact of the transition, technological neutrality, innovation, investment and the role of cities and regions in protecting jobs and strengthening automotive ecosystems.
Marco Marsilio, President of the ECR Group in the CoR and President of the Abruzzo Region, said: “We decided to meet in Debrecen not to talk about the automotive industry in the abstract, but to experience the reality on the ground. We talked about plants, supply chains, training, infrastructure, energy, suppliers and families. The Europe of the automobile has reached a crossroads. On the one hand, there is the path of production, innovation and work. On the other, there is the real risk of deindustrialisation: factories that close, investments that move elsewhere, and skills built up over decades that are lost. As ECR, we will always defend the former. Behind every decision taken in Brussels there are communities that pay the price or reap the opportunities. And when politics forgets this reality, the transition stops being effective and becomes an ideological exercise".
Lajos Barcsa, Member of the ECR Group in the CoR and Deputy Mayor of Debrecen, said: “The future of Europe’s automotive industry is a shared concern. Changes in global markets and technology require swift and coordinated action if we are to remain competitive. Thinking and acting together has therefore never been more important. Debrecen was pleased to host the ECR Group for a discussion on the competitiveness and future of Europe’s automotive industry. Thanks to investments made in recent years, the city has become an important hub for the sector. By strengthening education and cooperation with universities, Debrecen is doing everything it can to develop a skilled workforce, create high value-added jobs and secure a significant role for the city in the future of Europe’s automotive industry.”
In addition, speakers also included Władysław Ortyl, First Vice-President of the ECR Group in the CoR and President of the Podkarpackie Region; Anna Magyar, Vice-President of the ECR Group in the CoR and Member of the Csongrád-Csanád County Council; and László Papp, Mayor of Debrecen. The panel featured Matteo Bianchi, Vice-President of the CoR; Klaudia Szemereyné Pataki, Mayor of Kecskemét; Hans-Peter Kemser, President and CEO of BMW Group Plant Debrecen and Dr Andrea Horváth, representative of the University of Debrecen and the local automotive cluster.
The seminar concluded with a study visit to BMW Group Plant Debrecen giving participants a first-hand look at advanced manufacturing processes and technologies driving the plant, as well as its role in strengthening Debrecen’s automotive ecosystem, attracting investment and creating skilled employment. The visit offered a concrete example of how innovation, industrial capacity and regional development can reinforce Europe’s competitiveness within the automotive sector.