Gabriele Albertini (PPE-DE). – (IT) Madam President, ladies and gentlemen, Mr Juncker, President of the Eurogroup and Prime Minister of Luxembourg, has stated that we need a European strategy to save the car industry in response to the rescue plan announced by the United States. I am fully in agreement with what has been said and I hope that it will happen.

At the next meeting of ministers of finance of the Member States, the European Investment Bank will propose an increase in loan volumes of 20 and 30% in 2009 and 2010, amounting to EUR 10-15 billion per year for the car industry, and this decision is extremely timely. Some Member States have already taken independent action: the German government, for example, submitted early in the month an aid plan targeting the economy, with the idea of generating new investment amounting to EUR 50 billion over the next year. Among the key sectors involved is the car industry.

I hope that the European Commission will do the same, acting as a body. Aid to the sector should be invested within the European Union, and therefore should go to firms that are not relocating their production operations. Every decision to grant aid to firms is extremely welcome, given the circumstances, and its main goal should be to shore up employment and stimulate investment within Europe.