European Automotive Cluster Network

EACN in 2016-2020

The European Automotive Cluster Network (EACN) was launched in 2016, by representatives of European automotive clusters to strengthen collaboration between automotive clusters and their members, focusing on industry modernization. EACN aimed to help strengthen the European automotive industry and contribute to making it greener, more digital and more resilient.

The SA&AM cluster joined the EACN network in 2017 as part of its internationalization efforts. At that time, the following European clusters were associated in the cluster network:

• Automotive-bw (Germany)
• Bayern Innovativ (Germany)
• European Automotive Strategy Network (The Netherlands)
• CEAGA (Spain)
• Clúster de la Indústria d'Automoció de Catalunya (Spain)
• Automotive Cluster Bulgaria (Bulgaria)
• Pôle Véhicle du Futur (France)
• Automobile Cluster Serbia (Serbia)
• Silesia Automotive & Advanced Manufacturing (Poland)

In the second half 2019, several automotive and mobility clusters located in Europe and beyond, were invited to join the partnership. Following clusters signed the Expression of Interest:

• ARIA Haut-de-France (France)
• ARIA Normandie (France)
• CARA European Cluster for Mobility Solutions (France)
• Clúster de Automoción de la Comunitat Valenciana (Spain)
• Cluster of Automotive Industry of Samara Region (Russia)
• Mobinov: Cluster Automóvel Portugal (Portugal)
• Moravskoslezský automobilový klastr (Czech Republic)
• PGM - Polska Grupa Motoryzacyjna/Polish Automotive Group (Poland)
• North East Automotive Alliance Limited (United Kingdom)
• Wschodni Sojusz Motoryzacyjny/East Automotive Alliance (Poland)
• Dolnośląski Klaster Motoryzacyjny (Poland)
• Eskişehir Chamber of Industry (Turkey)

As a result of joining the EACN Partnership, these clusters and their members will be able to take part in the different activities of the EACN project, such as thematic workshops, matchmaking events, as well as suggest new project ideas. Moreover, the cluster managers will be allowed to participate in the strategy discussions about the European Automotive Cluster Networks’ future.

As part of the joint activities of the EACN Partnership:

• 6 EACN Partners implementated the Project "EACN for joint industrial moderinsation investments" undertaken within COSME programme, COS-CLUSTPARTNS-2017-3-02 (European Strategic Cluster Partnership for smart specialisation investments)

Read more about the Project

• EACN joined an initiative coordinated by ACEA (European Automobile Manufacturers' Association) that aims at setting up a joint European framework for jobs in the automotive sector.

  This initiative has been developed as the European automotive sector’s answer to the European Commission's Pact for Skills initiative.

  The European Commission proposed a Pact for Skills as a new engagement model for skills that will help meet COVID-19 challenges and deliver on the objectives of the recovery pathway, the EU Industrial Strategy and the green and digital transitions. The Pact for Skills aims at mobilising and encouraging all relevant stakeholders to take concrete actions for the upskilling and reskilling of people, and, when relevant, cooperate through partnerships.

  In this context, the EACN supports the joint proposal to deliver and implement a sectorial up/reskilling framework for the automotive value chain maximising industry competitiveness, job retention and new job opportunities paving the way to a dedicated partnership for the automotive ecosystem within the Pact for Skills.

  This proposal is supported by 43 other European organizations that commit to:

  • Ensure sustainable and systematic sectoral cooperation based on clear commitment of all stakeholders involved.
  • Ensure systematic EU-wide recognition of skills and knowledge
  • Ensure EU-wide mutually accepted definitions of skills and job-roles
  • Continuous, systematic and pragmatic way to gather industrial skills needs in the automotive ecosystem and minimising the gaps
  • Improve attractiveness of the automotive ecosystem
  • Stimulate massive acceleration of investment in human capital through pilot regional projects

File: Joint Proposal Pack for Skills

• EACN established contacts with representatives from European Commission from the Commission’s Directorate-General for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs, in order to share with them Partnership vision of the automotive sector and evaluate possible future collaboration.

  During the meeting on July 6, 2020 Partnership presented to the EC  the results of the working groups which during the last months analysed how to support the automotive industry to overcome the current pandemic crisis and transform the challenges into an opportunity. The collaborative effort was focused on three main topics:

  1. Future panorama of the European automotive industry, led by Pôle Véhicule du Futur
  2. Cluster benchmark and services, led by North East Automotive Alliance
  3. Financial and HR impacts led by Automotive Cluster Serbia.

  With these presentations, the European Commission could understand better EACN Partnership’s point of view regarding the automotive industry situation and some of the actions we propose to carry out at a cluster level.

  On the hand, the EACN partnership had an opportunity to obtain first-hand information about the EC industrial strategy, their main priorities, as well as the financial support which will be available at European level, included in the Recovery Plan already announced in May. The specific help addressed to the automotive industry will depend on the own Sector’s ambition, hence EACN finds it essential to keep in contact and collaborate with the European Commission.

  At the end of the meeting the EACN partnership members participated in a brainstorming session, suggesting possible actions to be carried out as part of the EACN Roadmap of collaboration.

  Read more

EACN in 2021

With the completion of the "EACN for Joint Modernisation Investments" project, 17 European automotive clusters from 10 European countries decided to continue their engagement and intensify their cooperation in the network. A new organization with a clear governance structure was created, consisting of a General Assembly, a Board of Directors, a Secretary General and five operational working groups.

The first General Assembly of EACN was held on January 20, 2021 with the participation of all 17 clusters that signed their commitment to the network. The network will be represented by the following elected Board members: Bruno Grandjean, Deputy General Manager, Pôle Véhicule du Futur (France)
as President

• Bruno Grandjean, Deputy General Manager, Pôle Véhicule du Futur (France) as President
• Alberto Cominges, Cluster Manager, Galician Automotive Cluster CEAGA (Spain) as Vice-President
• Paul Butler, CEO, NEAA North East Automotive Alliance, (UK)
• Łukasz Górecki, Cluster Manager, Silesia Automotive & Advanced Manufacturing (Poland)
• Fernando Machado, Cluster Manager, Automobile Cluster of Portugal MOBINOV (Portugal)
• Josep Nadal, Cluster Manager, CIAC Automotive Industry Cluster of Catalonia (Spain)

The 17 members of EACN are:

• Aria Haut-de-France, France
• Autoklastr, Czech Republic
• Automotive Cluster Bulgaria, Bulgaria
• CARA European Cluster for Mobility Solutions, France
• Clúster de la Indústria d’Automoció de Catalunya CIAC, Spain
• East Automotive Alliance, Poland
• Eskisehir Chamber of Industry Automotive Cluster, Turkey
• Galician Automotive Cluster CEAGA, Spain
• Mobinov, Portugal
• NextMove, France
• North East Automotive Alliance NEAA, United Kingdom
• PGM Polish Automotive Group, Poland
• Pôle Véhicule du Futur, France
• Serbian Automotive Cluster, Serbia
• Silesia Automotive & Advanced Manufacturing Cluster, Poland
• Ukrainian Automotive Cluster, Ukraine
• Valencian Automotive Cluster AVIA, Spain

Press release - January 20, 2021