Can European Carmakers Keep Up? Professor Stanislav Šaroch Speaks at Autoklastr’s 20th Anniversary
Intensifying competition from Asia, the shift to electric vehicles and a more protective EU industrial policy. Professor Stanislav Šaroch from the Department of International Economic Relations, Faculty of International Relations at Prague University of Economics and Business explained what these changes mean for Czech and European carmakers, and above all for their suppliers, at the anniversary meeting of Autoklastr, which is celebrating 20 years.
Autoklastr, an association of companies and institutions from the Czech automotive sector, marked its 20th anniversary with a general assembly held on 15–16 October 2026 in Rožnov pod Radhoštěm, a town in the Beskydy region of eastern Moravia. The organisers invited Šaroch from the Faculty of International Relations as a guest speaker. He monitors the industry closely. The lecture was followed by a discussion with the cluster’s members.
Europe in a Global Comparison
The lecture opened with an overview of how Europe’s position in the global car industry is changing. European brands face growing pressure from Asian, especially Chinese, manufacturers that lead in electric vehicles and batteries. For Europe, the move to electric drive is therefore not only a technological challenge but also a question of where cars and their parts will be made.
The End of Purely Free Trade?
The core of the talk focused on the Industrial Accelerator Act, a proposed EU law designed to boost manufacturing in Europe, for instance by favouring EU-made products in public funding and procurement. Šaroch presented it as a clear turning point in EU trade policy: a shift from an emphasis on open markets towards a new industrial policy and strategic protection of the single market.
The discussion also covered the Automotive Package, a set of European Commission measures for the car industry, and how both initiatives will affect production plants and R&D centres in the Czech Republic and across the EU.
Suppliers in the Spotlight
The debate went beyond the major carmakers, known in the industry as OEMs (original equipment manufacturers), the companies that design and build vehicles under their own brand. The main focus was on parts and component suppliers, which make up a large share of the Czech automotive industry and are often hit hardest by changes in Europe and Asia. They also form a substantial part of Autoklastr’s membership.
The invitation shows that FIR’s research on international trade and European economic policy has direct practical relevance. The faculty thanks Autoklastr for the invitation and congratulates it on its anniversary.
