Four independent European bus manufacturers are asking the European Commission for a level playing field within bus tenders. They wrote an open letter to the European Commission, demanding that the EU ensure fair competition when it comes to bus tenders for public transport. The open letter is addressed to the EU Commission and its President Ursula von der Leyen, and send by Solaris, VDL Bus & Coach, Hess and Beulas.
The four bus manufacturers emphasise that the non-European, especially Chinese, bus manufacturers have quickly acquired a market share of over 30 percent in Europe. A growing market share that comes at the expense of primarily numerous small, medium-sized and large bus manufacturers across the EU and EFTA countries, including long-established independent businesses, often in family ownership. The four emphasise that "a strong bus manufacturing sector is a prerequisite to achieve European strategic objectives and to ensure a resilient, competitive, and sustainable Europe", and are there for calling on the European Commission to ensure a level playing field for the sector against third-country competition which is threatening expertise, innovation, and highly skilled jobs at European bus and coach manufacturers." The four are stating that EU countries are leading in zero-emission technology for passenger transport, a progress made possible by ambitious European goals, regulatory measures such as the Clean Vehicles Directive, and EU financial support instruments. "For some time now the presence of non-European and especially Chinese competitors has been growing. Their market share has increased rapidly to over 30% and is feared to grow further. These companies offer products fully developed and manufactured outside the EU and EFTA area whilst participating in European funded public tenders." The Four
signatories say there is ongoing concern that European taxpayers’ money is transferred outside the Europe and is lost to the European economic ecosystem and that at the same time, these non-European companies benefit from state export subsidy in their home country, allowing them to undercut European manufacturers’ prices and creating a severely tilted playing field. They see similar trends starting to emerge in the intercity bus, long-distance and touring coach sectors. The four are warning for loss of skilled jobs, expertise and economic independence in passenger transport, threatening Europe’s long-term prosperity. In the letter the four companies state among others that a "Made in Europe" label is required within public procurement proceedings, "especially when funded by EU taxpayers’ money" and evaluation of criteria in public procurement is adjusted to ensure preference for European bus manufacturing. An interesting topic the four cite is that they call on to the addressees to "consult independent bus manufacturers at early stages on new technical regulations, and review upcoming changes, to ensure better alignment with the capabilities of the sector". Also the four are asking to "ensure the EU Automotive Action Plan, Industrial Accelerator Act, and the revision of the Public Procurement Framework safeguard the European bus manufacturing industry for the long term".