Germany, France Reach Deal on Protecting EU Auto Industry

The Franco-German alignment matters because these two governments have often pulled in different directions on industrial policy, so a joint position can shape the EU's response before it is even formalized. What is striking is the absence of detail: without knowing whether the measures lean toward tariffs, subsidies or local-content rules, the practical effect on supply chains and EV competition remains unclear. Whether this agreement translates into concrete EU instruments, or stays a bilateral statement of intent, is the open question worth watching.