On April 8, 2025, a meeting was held between representatives of the Polish automotive industry and Prime Minister Donald Tusk at the Prime Minister’s Office. The main topic of discussion was the effects of tariffs imposed by the U.S. administration on car imports and the challenges facing the Polish automotive industry. Meeting participants agreed on the need to develop a coherent industrial strategy for the automotive sector. Maciej Mazur, managing director of the Polish New Mobility Association (PSNM) and member of the Supervisory Board of ElectroMobility Poland, also took part in the discussion.

Prime Minister Donald Tusk, together with the Ministers of Finance, Development and Technology and the Minister of Industry, discussed with representatives of the automotive industry the situation in Polish, European and global motorization. The immediate pretext for the meeting was the recent decisions of President Donald Trump’s administration regarding tariffs. A 25% tax on European cars and light trucks went into effect on April 3.

Global challenges. Local strategy

Participants in the meeting pointed out that the Polish automotive industry is currently in a particularly challenging moment – under regulatory pressure from the European Union, growing competition from Asia and global trade tensions. In this context, industry representatives stressed the need to develop a coherent strategy for the automotive sector.

Janusz Kobus, president of the Polish Chamber of Automotive, pointed out that the Donald Trump administration’s decision to impose tariffs on imported vehicles could have direct consequences for the labor market in Poland. He recalled that estimates point to a possible decline in Polish GDP of around 0.45 percent, which is consistent with earlier analyses by the Polish Economic Institute, which forecast a reduction in economic growth in the range of 0.38-0.43 percent.

According to Janusz Kobus, a side effect could also be the loss of up to 13,000 jobs in the automotive sector.

As reported by Jakub Faryś, president of the Polish Automotive Industry Association, the conversation with the prime minister focused on two key themes. The first concerned the direct effects of the US decision to impose tariffs, as well as the expected actions of the European Commission and the position the Polish government will take on the matter. Faryś stressed that the industry’s position is in line with the approach presented at the EU level. At the same time, he noted that while a reaction to the actions of the US administration is needed, excessive escalation of tension, which will not bring constructive results, should be avoided.

The second area of the conversation concerned a broader perspective – the current condition of the European automotive sector.

According to Jakub Farys, the industry is today in a very difficult moment, which can even be described as a crisis. He pointed to the need to discuss supporting investors, preserving jobs and continuing the energy and transportation transition. The transition to zero-emission, he pointed out, is not only a challenge, but also a significant development opportunity for the entire sector.

Maciej Mazur, managing director of the Polish New Mobility Association (PSNM) and member of the Supervisory Board of ElectroMobility Poland, noted the scale of the challenges facing the sector. As he pointed out, only 216,000 passenger cars will be produced in Poland in 2023 – the lowest figure since 1976. – We would be very keen to focus on what is happening in Poland and to develop the automotive industry from the inside out, as it were,” Mazur said.

I think we are at such a point that the strategy, which has appeared very often in the statements of my colleagues, should really become a tool of state industrial policy. We should bet on innovation. We should bet on our own production capacity and development of innovations. We already have such projects.

There is a huge potential in Poland for innovation to become the driving force of domestic motorization. There is also dormant production potential, including in Silesia, which we should take advantage of. If 200,000 vehicles were produced in our country last year, and we have a production potential of 300,000 vehicles at the planned factory in Jaworzno, we can duplicate Poland’s production capacity. This investment, this type of investment, is needed as never for the Polish automotive sector. They are very much needed by the Silesia region.- said Maciej Mazur.

The prime minister announced the continuation of dialogue with the industry and talks at the EU level. The meeting ended with a declaration of further cooperation and consultation between the government administration and industry representatives.

The automotive industry was represented by:

Tomasz Bęben – President of the Association of Automotive Parts Distributors and Manufacturers
Jakub Faryś – President of the Polish Automotive Industry Association
Janusz Kobus – President of the Polish Chamber of Automotive Industry
Maciej Mazur – General Director of the Polish New Mobility Association, Member of the RN EMP
Bartosz Mielecki – Managing Director of the Polish Automotive Group
Paweł Wideł – President of the Association of Employers of Automotive and Industrial Articles.

EMP CEO Tomasz Kedzierski also wrote about the need for a strategy and the potential impact of the EMP project on the automotive sector in a commentary published by Bussiness Insider. In it, he stressed that the development of a modern automotive industry requires an active role of the state and a long-term strategy. In his view, the response to regulatory pressures, competition from Asia and global trade tensions should be sectoral policies that support innovation, education and cooperation between the public and private sectors. As he pointed out: “Successful countries do not limit themselves to importing solutions, but actively participate in their creation, implementation and improvement.”

Kedzierski also highlighted the importance of rebuilding domestic manufacturing capabilities, pointing out that the ability to design and manufacture high-tech products is as important as access to capital. In this context, the ElectroMobility Poland project can be an effective tool to strengthen Poland’s innovation and industrial independence in times of dynamic changes in the automotive market.