Opel Rescue Up To European Taxpayers?

Edward Niedermeyer
by Edward Niedermeyer

General Motors made one point very clear, 100 percent clear, the restructuring plan could only be achieved when European member states with Opel plants give some financial help. So the plan works only with state aid. The idea that General Motors can finance this on its own was not shared by General Motors, this possibility does unfortunately not exist

EU Industry Minister Guenter Verheugen reveals to Automotive News [sub] that GM does indeed seem to be trying to limit the amount of US taxpayer money spent on its $4.9b rescue of Opel. GM’s Opel fixer Nick Reilly explains “we have indicated that we will inject some GM funds into that requirement too. That is quite difficult because we are also going through a restructuring of our U.S. operations and other parts of the world.” We’ve already seen loans for jobs floated in the UK, where Reilly came up just short of offering to save Vauxhall jobs for government restructuring loans on a quid-pro-quo basis. And GM will have to continue walking that fine line, as EU competition rules forbid member states from offering financial support in exchange for jobs, especially if the saved jobs come at the expense of jobs in another EU member state. But Germany’s leadership was humiliated by GM’s decision to drop the sale of Opel to Magna, and has already ruled out funding an Opel restructuring that would keep the automaker under GM control. Will Belgium, Spain and the UK be able to come up with enough money to make the restructuring happen? Or will GM simply be forced to dip deeper into its taxpayer-funded escrow account? GM’s plan will be announced this week, and we’ll be watching.

Edward Niedermeyer
Edward Niedermeyer

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 3 comments
  • Gardiner Westbound Gardiner Westbound on Nov 23, 2009

    So GM's master plan is to rescue Opel with other people's money. Why am I not surprised?

  • HerrKaLeun HerrKaLeun on Nov 23, 2009

    either way, they are using someone's tax money to stay alive for another 6 months. Not much of a viable plan in my book.

  • Dougjp Dougjp on Nov 24, 2009

    GM has so tarnished itself in Europe by its actions, nobody will buy Opels. So what's the point. Let's have a creative bankruptcy, but with a twist. One that boots GM from owning Opel.

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