Italy’s national automotive industry association is calling for stricter European Union rules that would prevent components manufactured in Morocco from counting as European content, even as Italian exports of auto parts to the Kingdom jump sharply.
Morocco has outpaced Italy in auto production with 500k exported in 2025 compared with 380k for Italy.
The National Association of the Italian Automotive Industry Supply Chain (ANFIA), led by President Roberto Vavassori, has urged Brussels to adopt tight criteria under the proposed Industrial Accelerator Act.
The association argues that future preferences for European production should require the last substantial transformation of components to take place inside the EU, with at least 70% of the factory-gate value attributable to the Union (excluding batteries).
ANFIA’s position paper explicitly lists Morocco, as well as Turkey and Algeria, among countries whose production should not qualify for preferential treatment solely because of existing trade agreements with the EU.
The move comes as European policymakers seek to protect more value-added activity within the bloc amid competition from Chinese manufacturers.
