The automotive industry in Romania is not just any sector, but is a pillar of exports, an employer for tens of thousands of families and increasingly more an innovation platform that influences the entire economy, senior offical with Romania's Energy Ministry Cristian Buoi told on Tuesday the third edition of the Sustainable and Accessible Mobility Forum.
"Today, Bucharest is the capital of mobility and in a capital of mobility we must talk about energy, about how we produce it, how we manage it and how we turn it into a competitive advantage. To Romania, the automotive industry is not just any sector, it is a pillar of Romania's exports, it is an employer for tens of thousands of families, and it is increasingly more an innovation platform that influences the entire economy. At the same time, however, Europe has raised and is raising standards very much. Very ambitious climate targets, energy efficiency, new requirements for fleets and infrastructure are redefining global competition and putting pressure on the European and Romanian automotive industry. I was the chairman of the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy of the European Parliament for five years and also, from the input I received from the Romanian automotive industry, from the discussions we had, I pleaded at that time for a more balanced, less enthusiastic, more realistic approach of the European institutions in terms of targets for the automotive industry. Obviously, the future is that of electric vehicles, the future is of electrification, of autonomous cars, but the transition must be possible in a time that allows the European automotive industry not to lose competitiveness and the European Union not to lose jobs and important revenues to national budgets and the European budget if we press too acceleration (...)", said Busoi.
The official added that Romania should support its automotive industry more, and the energy transition must be a strategic investment.
"Despite all the differences and improvements that have been made lately to the targets for the automotive industry, there remains an ambition that we must take into account and hope that what we have to do at European level and in Romania is realistic and will not affect the competitiveness of the European industry to a very large extent. We will support integrated storage solutions and smart energy efficiency and management projects. (...) Electric mobility depends on modern and robust grids, fast and ultra-fast solutions and the digital integration of consumption. As far as biofuel production is concerned, Romania cannot afford to lose its automotive industry. Romania needs to support its automotive industry more. The energy transition must be a strategic investment, not just a cost or something that we have to do just because we have to align ourselves with some European directives. And here the industry and the requirements and needs of the industry must be essential when deciding and building public policies and targets for the future," the official said.
The Association of Romania's Automobile Manufacturers and Importers (APIA) organised on Tuesday, the third edition of the Sustainable and Accessible Mobility Forum.
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