U.S. automakers have spoken against the revision of Europe’s Individual Vehicle Approval scheme, which could ban large pickup trucks like the Ford F-150, Chevrolet Silverado, and the Ram 1500. American manufacturers argue that the change would violate the terms of the trade deal between the U.S. and the EU.
According to a report by the Financial Times, the EU and U.S. agreed on a trade deal in 2025, where President Donald Trump revised European import tariffs from 27.5% to 15%. The EU, meanwhile, agreed to reduce tariffs on American vehicle imports from 10% to 0%.
Now though, the EU plans to ban large American pickups for safety reasons, which are currently being imported under the EU’s Individual Vehicle Approval scheme, which allows the import of vehicles tailored for other markets.
The European Commission is working on changes to the IVA scheme, which American automakers believe will keep pickup trucks from reaching European shores, a move that would reportedly go against the 2025 U.S.-EU trade deal.
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According to the environmental campaign group Transport & Environment, American manufacturers sold around 7,000 SUVs and pickup trucks in Europe in 2024 under the IVA scheme.
Andrew Puzder, the U.S. ambassador to the bloc, told FT that the EU blocking American pickups would dampen the spirit of the trade deal. He said:
“We would hope . . . issues like the IVA will be resolved in the spirit and consistent with the terms of that agreement. You can’t have low tariffs and massive non-tariff trade barriers and claim you’ve got a functioning relationship.”
An executive from a carmaker in Detroit said that the EU was in a better position in the trade deal:
“Right now Europe is in a better position than the US.”
He added:
“The US administration is aware that not only is Europe dragging its feet on the trade agreement, but they’re also looking at restricting US products and limiting customer choice in Europe.”
The European Commission is expected to close loopholes in the IVA scheme in 2027, which currently allow “unsafe cars” on European roads.
To counter the Commission’s move, Howard Lutnick of the American Automotive Policy Council, the lobby group for Ford, Chevrolet-owner General Motors, and Stellantis, wrote a letter to the commerce secretary, urging the Trump administration to prevent the EU from amending the IVA scheme in 2027.
However, the EU’s Transport & Environment group is pushing against the import of American pickup trucks, as they reportedly pose a higher risk for cyclists, pedestrians, and other vehicles on the road. Targeting Ram trucks, the group said:
“Ram bonnets are so high that children aged up to nine years old standing directly in front cannot be seen by the average driver.”
One Response
Pickups that have large wheels or suspension that make their bumper’s be above the bumpers of cars create a real safety hazard for accidents. The Europeans are right about the visibility issue seeing a kid in front of the vehicle when it is so high.