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EU-US Trade Deal Threatens European Production
Emiliano Marzoli The EU-US trade agreement is facing intense criticism from European policymakers and industry leaders who deem it unbalanced, unfair, and a “significant policy mistake.” The persistence of high US tariffs and mounting non-tariff barriers are severely hurting Europe’s export-oriented industrial sector. Experts warn the deal has cornered the EU, increasing its dependency on critical raw materials and semiconductors.
Specifically, US Section 232 tariffs on steel and aluminium derivatives are crippling the machinery sector with complex compliance rules. Failure to comply can trigger punitive tariffs up to 200%, prompting some firms to halt US exports entirely and leading to a sharp drop in sales (e.g., German machinery exports have fallen 18.5%). EU lawmakers are now pushing for amendments, including sunset clauses and safeguards, amid concerns that the current framework is unsustainable.
Source: Euractiv Read The Article
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EPA Won’t Delay 2027 NOx Rule, Plans Changes
Chris Fisher The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is moving forward with the 2027 timeline for its heavy-duty NOx rule—currently set to take effect with the 2027 model year—but says changes are in store.
The American Trucking Associations (ATA), National Tank Truck Carriers, Truckload Carriers Association, and 49 state trucking associations in August penned a letter to EPA, asking the regulator to push implementation to 2031, citing “substantial compliance costs and operational burdens at a time when the trucking industry is already contending with historically difficult market conditions.”
Administrator Lee Zeldin in March announced that the EPA was reevaluating the Biden-era 2022 Heavy-Duty Engine and Vehicle rule that regulates oxides of nitrogen (NOx) and other emissions beginning with Model Year 2027.
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Auto Sector Driven by 2Ws, Stable PV Demand
INDIA REPORT
Aditya Kondejkar India’s auto sector delivered a resilient performance in the first half of FY26 (April–September 2025), supported by healthy two-wheeler volumes, steady passenger-vehicle demand, and a modest recovery in commercial vehicles — even as the industry navigated EV market churn and shifting policy tailwinds.
Two-wheelers continued to underpin volume growth: production and domestic sales surged, with about 10,200,000 (1.02 crore) two-wheelers produced/sold in 1H FY26. This strength was driven by durable rural demand, improved affordability, and strong scooter and motorcycle cycles during the pre-festive and monsoon seasons.
Passenger vehicles showed robustness across the board, with roughly 2.05 million units recorded in the six-month period (Apr–Jun ~1.01m; Jul–Sep ~1.04m). OEMs benefited from a combination of steady urban demand, renewed festive spending and a partial easing of supply constraints. Strong export momentum — India recorded a record H1 export tally — also helped OEM plant utilizations.
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Trucking Recovery To Be Driven by Supply Side?
Chris Fisher The signs of a freight recovery that appeared early this year are gone, replaced by a tough market where recovery will have to come from a supply-side correction, American Trucking Associations’ Chief Economist Bob Costello said at ATA’s 2025 Management Conference & Exhibition in San Diego.
Costello delivered a blunt and sobering economic warning: new tariffs, persistent stagflation, and a slowing labor market have created “absolutely unsustainable” conditions for many carriers, and the only way out, at least near-term, is to erase capacity from the highway.
“It’s not easy to talk about because it’s people’s livelihoods, but it’s a necessary evil,” Costello said, noting that freight demand is unlikely to improve anytime soon. “This has got to be a supply-driven change in the market.”
The current 18% effective tariff rate, nearly six times higher than it was during the first Trump administration, is a level not seen since the 1930s. Costello warned that the industry is only in the “bottom of the second or top of the third inning” of feeling the impact. “Any benefits of putting tariffs on foreign goods… are years in the future, but the cost hits much quicker,” he said.
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GST 2.0 Could Be Fiscal Reset for Auto Industry
INDIA REPORT
Aditya Kondejkar The Indian automobile industry has received a significant policy boost with the rollout of GST 2.0, a major change in indirect taxes aimed at restoring affordability and stimulating consumption. The reform, which reduces GST rates on vehicles and components, arrives at a crucial juncture when entry-segment sales, rural demand, and OEM margins have been under pressure.
Scale of reduction and market impact. GST 2.0 lowers the rate on small cars and two-wheelers from 28% to 18%, while standardizing the rate on most auto components at 18% instead of the earlier 18%–28% range. Larger SUVs and luxury models now fall under a simplified 40% composite slab, down from nearly 50% earlier. These changes translate into tangible price cuts—ranging from $750 USD (₹65,000) for hatchbacks to over $3,400.00 USD (₹3 lakh) for premium models—resulting in an estimated 10-percentage-point drop in overall tax burden for the sector. Analysts see this as a long-awaited correction that could lift FY26 passenger-vehicle demand by 8–10%.
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50% Tariff Turns European Machinery into Gold
Emiliano Marzoli In recent weeks, the US has expanded its 50% tariff on steel and aluminum to over 400 derivative products, creating a new, complex trade landscape with the EU. This goes beyond raw materials and now includes a wide array of manufactured goods. The EU has a new deal with the US, which introduces a 15% tariff ceiling on a large portion of European exports, including strategic sectors like vehicles. However, the 50% metal tariffs override this, a development that has caused alarm in Europe’s industrial sectors. The deal is a “first step,” with both sides still working out details, but the high metal tariffs remain a source of significant uncertainty and a point of contention.
Sources: Read This Article Read This Article
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