Ola Källenius, serving as both the CEO of Mercedes-Benz and the president of the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA), has issued a warning regarding the EU’s proposed Industrial Accelerator Act (IAA). The legislation, often referred to as the 'Made in Europe' act, aims to bolster European industrial production and competitiveness. However, current discussions suggest that the UK may be excluded from key contracts and provisions within the framework.

Källenius characterized the potential exclusion of the UK as a 'deliberate choice' that would negatively impact the automotive sector across the entire bloc. He emphasized that the integration of the UK and EU automotive industries is deep, and creating barriers would weaken the industry's overall strength on both sides of the English Channel. The industry is currently awaiting a final political agreement on the IAA, which is expected to be reached in the coming weeks.

While the report highlights the concerns of the automotive industry, it does not detail the specific arguments from EU policymakers who may favor excluding the UK. The primary tension lies between the desire to protect EU-based manufacturing and the practical reality of highly integrated cross-border supply chains. Källenius’s comments serve as a lobbying effort to ensure that the final version of the IAA remains inclusive of the UK to maintain economic efficiency.