Business · 2026-10-31 · Afternoon briefing
Germany's Merz surprised by Asian anger over EU car plan
Germany’s Chancellor, Friedrich Merz, has registered surprise at the intense opposition from East Asian countries to a proposed “Made in Europe” car subsidy plan. The proposal, agreed with French President Emmanuel Macron, would restrict EU subsidies to vehicles manufactured within the bloc, Switzerland, and the UK.
Following a five-day tour of the region, Merz acknowledged the plan had sparked “considerable concern” in Singapore, Japan, and South Korea over a potential new wave of European protectionism. South Korean President Lee Jae Myung directly asked Merz for his country to be treated like an EU member state under the rules.
The pushback creates an awkward backdrop for EU leaders, who are set to meet in Dublin on November 13th. Merz himself suggested that Europe, Asian nations, and the Mercosur bloc should “act together” against economic pressure from other global powers, even as his own Franco-German proposal is being received as exactly that.
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