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Research Question Has the formation of the European Union, its related regulations concerning the environment, and the use of the Euro as well as the high value of the Euro, affected car sales within EU countries and outside of EU countries for the European automakers that are part of the EU? Furthermore, how do the European automaker compare with those in the United States in term of profit and sales in recent years? If the European automakers have been weakened by new EU regulations or the use of the Euro, in what ways have they been affected? Section 1 : Introduction One of the most debated aspects of the EU in recent years has been the acceptance of the Euro. The Euro has further united many EU countries and has given them an ability to use an integrated monetary system that has tended to be exceptionally stable, valued highly, and liked by foreign investors. However, the value of the Euro has also been associated with its fair share of problems. For this research project, I am focusing on the automotive industry and how it has or possibly has not been affected by the Euro. It is known that a rising Euro can and does affect the prices of European goods in other countries. It is also known that a rising Euro can and does affect the prices of goods imported into the Euro area. However, little has been written about the affect on particular industries. In order to evaluate the automotive industry in regards to the Euro, I must also examine other EU aspects that may affect automotive sales and prices. Research has shown that stringent environmental regulations in the EU have affected the automotive industry. Therefore, my research will include these aspects that may also affect prices. Furthermore, regulations of sales, and mergers between automakers can and do affect prices. Finally, I will discuss price harmonization throughout EU countries and look at the differences among countries. This research should provide a concrete view of prices and many of the causes for price increases and decreases in the automotive industry. Although there are hundreds of aspects that can and do affect prices everyday in every industry, I will examine only those that have a sizable impact. Included in this report will be tables and charts that provide a clearer look at the actual numbers of sales and profits for several countries within the EU. Finally, I will briefly compare the European automakers sale and profits to the U.S. automakers sale and profits to give perspective to the numbers and success or lack of success of European automakers. This paper will begin with a brief literature review. This will consist of a list of articles that were pertinent to my research and will also include the major findings of each article. This section is useful for cross reference and to further examine any particular issue raised in this paper. The next section will discuss the methods I used to conduct research and to gather data. Then I will discuss my findings and present my view of the topic of this paper. This section presents the collection of my research. This section will be followed by a conclusion and any discussions for further research as well as by a complete bibliography of the works referenced in the course of working on this paper. Section 2 Literature Review: 1.) "Stronger Euro Worries European Countries" Matthew Schofield : Detroit Free Press This article focuses on the impact on automakers from the rise in the value of the Euro. The main point this article makes is that the cost of U.S. cars sold in Europe will drop as the Euro rises in value, and the cost in dollars of European cars sold in the U.S. will rise as the Euro rises in value. 2.) "Will Dealers Continue to Sell the New Cars? New European Union Regulations Will Change the System - But How Much?" This brief article discusses the future of car sales for the European Union. Many examples are presented that may change sales in the near future including a possible lift of the regulations over cars and a discussion of price differences in EU countries. As the regulations disappear, will car sales increase? 3.) "To the EU at Low Speed" Artykul Iwony Jaskolskiej This article includes evaluations from surveys carried out by Pricewaterhouse Coopers. The research focuses on the Polish automotive market. Much of the article focuses on current thoughts of what will happen to the automotive industry after accession has occurred. This article relates to my research because the thoughts and feelings of the citizens can generally be used as a valid predictor of the future of an industry. 4.) "Successful Financial Year 2003 for the BMW Group" Automotive Intelligence News This is a press release of the sales volumes of BMW. This article examines profit in comparison to recent years and also examines the export numbers for the BMW Group in 2003 as a comparison to previous years. This article supports the position that despite EU regulation and the difficulties associated with the Euro, European automotive companies are increasing profit and remaining prosperous. 5.) "The Euro: Part III" A complex article that gives mathematical and economical details about exchange rates, reduction of inflation, economies of scale, asymmetric shock, etc... This article relates these formulas for economy to many key industries within the Euro area countries. The article also explores the outlook for Euro countries and possible economic downturns in the future. 6.) "Auto 2000: The Car and Global Markets" Verband Der Automobilindustrie This article examines the link between the Euro and the automotive industry. It presents real figures and a brief look at the effects of the Euro on industries throughout Europe. The article also explores how and why the automotive industry had to prepare for the conversion to the Euro to assure that sales and profits were not lost. 7.) "Automotive Industry : Sectoral Analysis" Europa.eu This is an exhaustive essay that explores the automotive industry. This article examines the structure of the EU auto industry, looks at car sales within Europe, examines trade including imports and exports, and looks at profitability of the automotive sector. Furthermore, this article examines the impact of many key aspects such as technological development, and Internet based sales on the automotive industry within the EU. 8.) "Driving Down Car Prices" BBC News The main focus of this article is price differences among EU countries. This article explores possible reasons as to why there is not price harmonization with the EU and what could be done to achieve price harmonization within the EU. The BBC has based their article off of the recently released automotive information from the Competition Commission, a division of the European Commission. The article mainly focuses on average car prices in other EU countries compared to average car prices in the UK. 9.) "EU Automotive Industry at a Crossroad" Frost and Sullivan The focus of this article is to present several reasons why the automakers in Europe cannot remain competitive in the world market. The article points to aspects such as taxing the industry, dealing with a highly valued Euro, and open trade from outside (foreign) countries. The article briefly explains why regulations and other restrictions are hurting the European automotive industry. 10.) "Toward a Single Price Tag : The Unified European Car Market Means Price Discrepancies are Ending" This article explores the impact the Internet has had on the automotive industry within Europe. It also examines how price discrepancies among European countries are slowly dissolving. The article cites recent mergers and acquisitions as another possible reason prices are becoming more consistent throughout Europe. 11.) "Europe at a Crossroads: The Need for Sustainable Transport" European Commission An in depth look at the transportation sector of the European Union. This article presents all aspects of transportation within the EU and then focuses in detail on the various sectors of transportation including personal and heavy truck transportation. There are several recommendations within this report to strengthen the transportation system throughout the European Union in the future. Section 3 : Methods To begin this project, several key assumptions or realizations had to be made. First of all, based upon research it was assumed that, "The euro's steep rise against the dollar has European pundits and policymakers fretting. While the currency climb is a sign that investors hold more faith in the euro, which is just 5 years old, it could threaten the pace of any European economic advances" (Schofield: Stronger Euro Worries European Companies). We can assume several key issues such as the rise in the euro does affect the economy, it can impact the automobile industry, and perhaps most importantly, many people are concerned over the affect that a rising euro may have. This accounts for the contribution of the euro to the automobile industry. Next we must assure a link between the EU and the automobile industry. According to Artykul Jaskolskiej in To the EU at Low Speed, "The automotive industry is also aware of the positive aspects of the accession. Every fourth entrepreneur is counting on having easier access to EU markets. This may mean that at least some of them are soon going to commence looking for new markets for their good and services or source of supplies in the Member States." This statement accounts for the positive reinforcement that the EU can have on the automotive industry. However, the basis for possible negative contribution that the EU may have on the automobile industry is summed in this statement by M. Maheswaran "EU Automotive Industry at a Crossroads?", "The automotive industry has been targeted whenever a EU member country wanted to source additional revenue. Tax revenue from the automotive industry exceed 350 billion euro, that is, 15 percent of the total revenues of the E.U. governments and 4 percent of the EU GDP. Mounting pressure from the SGP forced Germany to hike taxes for company cars in 2002 as a means to improving its fiscal revenue." From this statement we can then assume that there is a negative aspect between the EU and the European automakers. Finally, we must link environmental regulations to the cost and competitiveness of European Cars. This assumption lies mainly around the Euro IV norms, a stringent emissions regulation enforced by the EU. According to M. Mahreswaran in "EU Automotive Industry at a Crossroads, "The WBE (Weakened Block Exemption) is also redefining the supply chain, dealer network, and price mechanism. Price convergence and increasing incentives squeeze profitability. Euro IV norms have mounted pressure on manufacturers to comply with new standards. To match these new norms, manufacturers need to increase R & D (ride and drive) expenses for developing new products." Since it is evident that the EU, the Euro, and various regulations can and do affect the automotive industry in European countries, the question that remains to be answered is in what ways, and what is the net affect? Section 4 : Analysis Throughout the course of my research, a few issues became prominent when trying to determine what does affect the prices and sales of cars from European automakers in regards to the EU and the euro. First, I will briefly describe why environmental regulations of the EU have caused price increases for European automakers. A new set of standards referred to as Euro IV, continue to pressure automakers into making there cars more environmentally friendly. Usually, this requires additional testing, more emissions equipment, and longer life expectancy for certain vital emissions components on a particular vehicle. Generally, testing is expensive. Therefore, the requirement of any additional testing will increase the price of a vehicle. Furthermore, making longer lasting parts and incorporating more parts into a vehicle also increases the net cost of production. Euro IV regulations are cited as being overly concerned with the environment, with little concern for the cost associated with meeting these demands. The automakers must pay for the increase entirely, and most have increased sale prices to overcome the new costs. The second factor that I will discuss that affects the price and sales of vehicles from European automakers is related to EU regulations and more specifically to the Weakened Block Exemption (WBE). According to Frost and Sullivan writer M. Maheswaran, "As the New Block Exemption extended to the automotive industry ended in September 2002, and was replaced by a weakened block exemption, the competition is likely to stiffen in the EU region, especially from Asian manufacturers. As increased competition is likely to aggravate the price war, the price differences prevailing in the EU will be marginalized." The weakened block exemption allows more vehicles to be imported to the EU region. Some restrictions do still exist. However, the market will now be more open to outside competition. This will likely cause prices of European automobiles sold in the EU to drop to better compete with outside competition. Although this will be better for the consumer, and likely will increase sales, the profit per vehicle will diminish for the European automaker. This has forced many automakers to look for revenue elsewhere. As Frost and Sullivan writer M. Maheswaran further states, "Frost and Sullivan expects the automotive manufacturers to diversify their activities into after-sales markets such as financing, guarantee, used cars, and fleet management to generate new revenue streams and better margins." The WBE is also forcing manufacturers to redefine the supply chain, dealer network, and price mechanisms. Price convergence throughout the European countries or a homogenized price throughout Europe further squeezes profit in certain markets. Finally, the price differences throughout European countries have spawned a new market of Internet sales of automobiles. A dealer will purchase a car in a European country or a foreign country that offers the lowest price on a particular model. He will then sell that vehicle over the Internet to citizens in any European country. This offers the buyer the best possible price throughout Europe. According to the BBC News, "Some forecourts are doing a thriving trade in European Imports, offering saving of thousands of pounds. Internet sites are also promoting their services, sourcing most of their car from overseas to offer the cheapest prices. The way people buy their cars have changed over a short period of time, and they are learning that shopping around can produce big savings." For the European market, this new form of sales can only hurt their overall profit. By giving consumers the chance to find the lowest price, and therefore making the manufacturers profit as low as possible, the manufacturers lose. The lack of price convergence throughout Europe has caused this outcome, and new EU regulations are needed to remedy it. According to the article "Towards a Single Price Tag" , "These longstanding price differentials, also the rule in Britain, France, and other major European markets, make it well worth consumers' while to travel a few hours (to another country) and pick up their new cars." Finally, and perhaps the issue that most European automakers are concerned about is the euro and what affect it will have on sales and profitability. The main concern over the euro usually centers upon the rising value of the euro. As stated earlier Matthew Schofield of the Detroit News said, "The euro's steep rise against the dollar has European pundits and policymakers fretting. While the currency climb is a sign that investors hold more faith in the euro, which is just 5 years old, it could threaten the pace of any European economic advances." To view this rise in value, we must examine the euro's value over several years. The euro was worth approximately 80 cents in 2002. Just as recently as October 2003 the euro was worth $1.14. The euro was valued at about $1.27 in January of this year, and most economists predict it should reach over $1.40 by the end of this year. This increase is dramatic and perhaps too quick to maintain a stable economic system. So what does the climbing value of the euro mean? Well it means different things to different manufacturers. For Volkwagen AG, it has meant a shift of production from Europe to North America, as well as purchasing more parts from the North American market. For Daimler Chrysler AG, who has major production facilities in both Europe and the United States, it means that they have a competitive edge when they attempt to sell cars made in America in the European market. For other companies, the rising euro has a different outcome. The rising euro has a definitive affect on imports and exports which contribute to the GDP of a nation. Europe is dependent upon exports to other countries. The rising value of the euro makes European cars cost more in other countries. The rise in the value of the euro makes European cars more expensive to buy here in the United States, which translates into slightly less vehicles actually being bought. Rather than raise prices, most Europeans automakers have found ways to cut costs, and keep prices relatively stable. However, if the value of the euro continues to rise, they will not be able to continue to cut costs. Finally, the value of the euro makes imported cars less costly in Europe. This in turn has led citizens to buying imported or foreign cars more so than they have in the past. This reduces the number of European cars being bought in Europe which further weaken European automakers. However, the introduction of the euro has strengthened the European economic region as a whole. According to the VDA article titled Auto 2000, "In this era of globalization and networking, the importance of national borders is receding and with it, the power of government agencies to influence the market and society. The European states can stand up most effectively to the major economics blocs of the USA, Japan and even China as partners in an integrated economic region. A common currency helps assure reliable planning and promotes competition and integration." Since the euro has united European countries and expanded their overall power, it has also expanded its market and ability to hold a high market share in the automobile industry. Furthermore, an expanded euro zone makes trading easier, more accessible, and makes the trade market larger leading to increased sales. As can be seen, the affect of the euro is twofold. It has both negative and positive affects, and only time will tell which affect will be stronger. Conclusion In closing, I would like to reinforce several key ideas that I have discussed throughout the course of this paper. First, and perhaps most importantly, the automobile manufacturers throughout the EU are indeed affected by several EU regulations and laws, the use of the Euro, and the environmental protection measures that are presented by the EU as guidelines for automaker to follow. However, it should not be looked at in a negative manner. The EU and its associated rules and regulations may indeed hamper the progress and competitiveness of European automakers, but the open market created new areas for sale, and allowed products to be made in other more profitable areas for the automakers. Furthermore, the EU's yearning for high exports have allowed manufacturers to find new markets abroad and also to expand existing markets abroad. The Euro has created problems for the automakers as the value has risen and made exports of their products cost more in foreign countries. At the same time, the euro has made transactions easier for European automakers, and gave them a reliable source of currency throughout the Euro zone. This has increased stability for automakers and reduced accounting costs among other things. Overall, it should be noted that the EU, along with its regulations, laws, environmental protection issues, and the use of the euro, have both negatively and positively affected the sales and profit of the European automakers. In a way, the EU could be viewed as having very little, if any net affect on the European automakers. However, we must still observe the rising value of the euro and see if a future negative impact is coming for these automakers. Bibliography Schofield, Matthew. "Stronger Euro Worries European Countries." Detroit Free Press 16 Jan. 2004. Jaskolskiej, Artykul Iwony. To the EU at Low Speed. November 2003. 22 March 2004 . Automotive Intelligence News. 11 March 2004. AutoIntel News. 24 March 2004 . Verband der Automobilindustrie. Auto 2000. Jan. 2000. 24 March 2004 g_45.html>. Europa European Union. European Commission. Automotive Industry: Sectoral Analysis. November 2000. "Driving Down Car Prices." BBC News 29 Feb. 2000 : Business Maheswaran, M. "EU Automotive Industry at a Crossroads?" Frost and Sullivan 1 Dec. 2003. 25 March 2004 . Swartberg, Terry. "Toward a Single Price Tag." IHT 14 Sept. 1999. 21 March 2004 . European Union. European Commission. Europe at a Crossroads: The Need for Sustainable Transport. June 2003. "The Euro - Part Three" Vandine. 2000. 24 March 2004 . "Will Dealers Continue to Sell New Cars" Union Network. 8 October 2001. 24 March 2004 . |
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