Every year, 3.5 million cars are shipped out of Europe.
TransportEuropean Union
- Error detected
- The claimed figure of 3.5 million cars is substantially below the actual figure of 5.4 million cars exported from the EU in 2024, an underestimation of approximately 54%.
- Omissions
- The MEP did not cite any source for the 3.5 million figure, and no independent source corroborating that number was found.
- The Eurostat data covers extra-EU exports only (exports to non-EU countries). If the claim refers to the entire European continent, the true figure would be even higher, as it would include exports from non-EU European countries such as the UK, Norway, and Switzerland.
- The Eurostat publication (April 2025) was available well before the session date of June 2026, so the MEP could have consulted the most recent official data.
- The 5.4 million figure represents a decline from 2019 levels (down 13.2%), meaning in earlier years the gap between the claim and reality was even larger.
- Sources
- PrimaryEurostatIn 2024, the EU exported 5.4 million cars and imported 4.0 million cars. Compared with 2019, the number of exported cars dropped by 13.2%.
- SecondaryACEA (European Automobile Manufacturers' Association)Every year the European automobile industry exports about 6.6 million vehicles, with a positive trade balance of 2.4 million units.