U.S. carmakers say rules under consideration by Brussels could keep full-size pickup trucks including the Ford F-150, the Chevy Silverado and the Ram 1500 off European roads, according to a letter seen by Reuters.
Andrew Puzder, the U.S. ambassador to the bloc, told the Financial Times that the EU plans to change safety rules that could breach the spirit of the trade deal struck in August between the United States and the EU if they prevented some American vehicles from being sold in Europe.
The letter from the American Automotive Policy Council, which represents General Motors (GM.N), Ford (F.N) and Stellantis (STLAM.MI), noted the EU in August agreed to reduce or eliminate non-tariff barriers and provide mutual recognition of vehicle standards as part of the trade deal with the Trump administration.
The group said proposed changes to the EU's Individual Vehicle Approval process would degrade access for U.S.-built vehicles sent to Europe. "As demand grows for certain vehicle types not commonly found in the EU, such as large pickup trucks the IVA program has been employed more frequently for those vehicles," the letter said.
The automaker group noted an alliance of safety and green groups has been pressuring the EU "to end so-called 'loopholes' that allow large 'American-style' pick-up trucks - to be sold in Europe."
Europe’s leading nonprofit clean transport and energy advocacy group, Transport & Environment, said large American pickups and SUVs accounted for 7,000 vehicle sales in the EU in 2024. The group has argued that allowing more U.S. SUVs and pickups "to be sold with far lower safety and air pollution standards would be a betrayal of all EU citizens."
