Ford now demands that Turkey and the UK be treated as European countries, for obvious reasons.
16/10/2026 10:30
Updated to
16/10/2026 10:54
Ford argues that the upcoming European Union Industrial Acceleration Act should not determine which vehicles are “Made in Europe” solely based on where their final assembly takes place. The company calls for Turkey and the United Kingdom to be treated equally to the EU when there is sufficient European industrial value behind the product. It cites the E-Transit Custom as an example: it is assembled in Turkey, but its engineering comes from the UK and Germany, its electric motors are produced in British territory, and over 50% of the value of its components is generated entirely within the EU.
The request comes as Brussels negotiates the Industrial Accelerator Act (IAA), a proposal put forward by the European Commission to boost manufacturing within the Union through criteria such as European origin and low emissions for certain government subsidies and contracts.
Ford shares the goal of protecting European industry. What it debates is how to determine what truly means manufacturing in Europe.
"Not where the last screw is tightened"
Jim Baumbick, president of Ford Europe, summarizes his position with a particularly vivid phrase: "It should be measured where value is created, not where the last screw is tightened."
The manufacturer argues that the automotive industry has been operating for decades through supply chains spread across multiple countries.
A vehicle can be designed in Germany, use technology developed in the UK, incorporate batteries and components from EU suppliers, and finally be assembled in Turkey.
According to Ford, ignoring all of the above just because of that final step could harm precisely those European suppliers that the legislation aims to protect.
The E-Transit Custom is the example Ford uses
The company introduces one of its most significant electric commercial vehicles. The Ford E-Transit Custom is primarily designed and developed in the UK and Germany. Its electric power units are manufactured in Halewood, UK, while the high-voltage batteries come from the European Union. According to Ford, over 50% of the total value of its components originates from within the EU.
However, the final assembly takes place in Turkey. A strict interpretation of future “Made in Europe” regulations could exclude this vehicle from certain incentives or procurement criteria tied to European manufacturing.
Ford Also Wants to Include the UK and Turkey
The manufacturer’s proposal is to grant certain industrial partners closely integrated with Europe, particularly the UK and Turkey, treatment equivalent to that of the 27 member states, while implementing safeguards to prevent these countries from being used merely to circumvent regulations.
Ford further argues that forcing the reconstruction of existing supply chains could result in a loss of economies of scale and increased costs.
This warning is especially relevant for commercial vehicles, where prices directly affect freelancers and small businesses.
“Made in Europe” Could Become Another Major Industrial Battle
The IAA is still a legislative proposal, so its final criteria have not been finalized. The Commission intends to use public procurement and certain incentives to boost demand for technologies and products manufactured in Europe, including automotive components and zero-emission technologies.
The discussion raised by Ford is therefore much broader than just a van: should a vehicle be considered European based on where it leaves the assembly line or on how much genuine European industrial value it contains?
The answer could ultimately determine which factories, suppliers, and vehicles benefit from one of Brussels’ key industrial tools.