U.S. Automakers Say EU Plans to Restrict Large Pickup Imports via Certification Rule Changes

U.S. automakers have accused the European Union of planning to revise its Individual Vehicle Approval (IVA) rules to restrict imports of large pickup trucks—including the Ford F-150, Ram 1500, and General Motors models—into the European market. These vehicles are currently sold in Europe under the IVA framework, which allows limited imports to bypass the full type-approval process. Approximately 7,000 such pickups were sold across Europe in 2024, with around 5,200 of them being Ram-branded. Environmental groups, including Transport & Environment, and other organizations argue that these large pickups could heighten road safety risks and enable automakers to circumvent emissions regulations. Meanwhile, the U.S. and EU had previously agreed on a broader trade deal: the U.S. would lower tariffs on EU goods from 27.5% to 15%, while the EU would eliminate tariffs on American automobiles and establish a regulatory alignment framework to facilitate European vehicle access to the U.S. market. Although this agreement was finalized in 2024, it has not yet received final approval from the EU. The U.S. Ambassador to the EU stated that the proposed revisions to the IVA rules could contradict the spirit of the aforementioned agreement and constitute a non-tariff barrier. The Alliance for Automotive Innovation, representing Ford, GM, and Stellantis, has urged the Trump administration to block the EU’s move to tighten certification requirements. The European Commission is expected to release the final version of the revised IVA rules in 2027. The European Commission, Ford, General Motors, and the Ram brand all declined to comment on the matter.