The Association of Manufacturers for the Automobile Industry warned that Portuguese suppliers could lose more than a thousand workers in the next three years, according to statements by its president, José Couto, to Jornal de Notícias. Global automobile production grew 4.2% in 2025, but Asia represented more than 60% of that production and the European Union less than 15%, showing a transfer of activity away from Europe.
The Volkswagen Group sold approximately nine million vehicles in 2025, but its restructuring plans anticipate tens of thousands fewer positions. Mario Draghi's 2024 report warned that European companies face electricity prices two to three times higher than those in the United States, while the International Energy Agency indicated that China secured more than 80% of global battery cell production in 2025.
In June 2026, the European Commission again pointed out the delays in industrial licensing and administrative limitations that delay investment in Portugal. The editorial criticizes the tendency to add national requirements to European rules and argues that the speed and predictability of processes should be advantages in a country with a small market.
The article warns that the closing of factories in a region can affect not only wages but also workshops, cafés, commerce, and local suppliers. The editorial concludes that the best response to populism is not to pretend that economic problems are inventions, but to face them before they are exploited by those who live off them.
