Automotive, 1.6 billion for revitalisation and Stellantis updates Italy Plan

A complete picture of future assignments for the Group's Italian plants will be given with the presentation of the Group's new Industrial Plan scheduled for 21 May. In the meantime, Castellano points out, "while we define the optimal production mix within the new Strategic Plan, our focus is on the current range: we have already launched a special series for the Alfa Romeo Giulia and Stelvio and we have decided to launch a new Maserati Grecale".

For the unions, who recall the heavy reduction in the Automotive Fund's resources - the original endowment was 8 billion -, no effective response to the sector's state of crisis came from the Mimit table. "This table has so far failed to meet the government's declared objective of producing one million vehicles in Italy. In the meantime, the situation has worsened,' say Michele De Palma, Fiom secretary, and Samuele Lodi, head of Auto. 'The component companies, especially those single-contracting to Stellantis, are in an emergency situation. There are about 10,000 workers who are running out of social shock absorbers and at risk of dismissal,' Fiom adds.

For Ferdinando Uliano, national secretary of the Fim, concrete measures to support the competitiveness of the automotive industry are urgently needed, starting with action on energy costs. The principle of technological neutrality must be defended and strengthened at European level, he adds, so 'a revision of the rules of the Stability Pact to allow specific derogations for investments in the civil industry and in the automotive sector, like what is being done for the military industry, is essential'.

As for Stellantis, Uliano expresses his appreciation for the implementation of the investments of the 2024 Plan and the assignment of a new model for the Melfi plant, even though 'deep criticalities remain for the Cassino pole,' he analyses, 'penalised by an excessively unbalanced strategy on electrics, which has not seen the start-up of Alfa Romeo models on the large platform. Even for the Termoli site we appreciate the allocation of the new GSE euro 7 engine, but the uncertainty over the Gigafactory project requires immediate alternative planning based on the production of other engines'.

For Rocco Palombella, secretary of Uilm, 2026 must be the turning point for Italy and Europe's car industry. "We must abolish the infamous European fines and reduce the cost of energy, focus on hybrids, technological neutrality and freedom of choice for consumers. We must act before it is too late not only for Stellantis, but also for Iveco's truck production, for Marelli, for Bosch in Bari and for the entire supply chain,' he concludes.