Young Europeans voice their questions to automobile CEOs
Brussels, 5 September 2012 – Ten young people from across Europe have been selected as finalists of the ‘Ask a CEO’ competition organised by Our Future Mobility Now (OFMN), an initiative led by the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA). The finalists, recently selected by OFMN and the youth think-tank Think Young, are now going forward for an online public vote for the best entry.
These ten young people have also been selected to attend a roundtable debate on ‘Innovation for Europe, Skills for the Future’.
This event will take place in Brussels on 10 October, with the ‘Ask a CEO’ finalists taking a seat at the table with some of Europe’s most important policy makers and automobile company chiefs. Young people entered a great range of questions, mostly in video formats. Among the first to enter the competition was Lilo, 19, from Germany, who asked why she could buy fair trade orange juice but not a ‘fair trade car’, a thoughtful examination of the sustainability of automotive production. Mathias, 24, from Austria but living in London, questioned the continued relevance of the car, asking ‘how is the industry dealing with the fact that the world is becoming more urban, with the demand for cars slowly decreasing?’
As well as the public award, the finalists will be eligible for a prize awarded by the CEOs for their preferred question. Both awards will be handed out on 10 October. The ten videos and the online poll can be found at www.futuremobilitynow.com. Voting is open until 30 September 2012.
Notes for editors
- The roundtable debate will take place in the Solvay Library, Brussels, 14:00-17:00 on 10 October. A press briefing with the automobile CEOs will be held at 14:15. CEOs will also be available for interviews and comments about the OFMN project.
- Our Future Mobility Now brings together the mobile generation of the future and Europe’s leading vehicle manufacturers to explore how vehicles and transport will evolve and influence the 21st Century. It is organised and run by the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA).
- More information can be found at www.futuremobilitynow.com.
About ACEA
- The European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA) represents the 14 major Europe-based car, van, truck and bus makers: BMW Group, DAF Trucks, Daimler Truck, Ferrari, Ford of Europe, Honda Motor Europe, Hyundai Motor Europe, Iveco Group, Jaguar Land Rover, Mercedes-Benz, Renault Group, Toyota Motor Europe, Volkswagen Group, and Volvo Group.
- Visit www.acea.auto for more information about ACEA, and follow us on www.twitter.com/ACEA_auto or www.linkedin.com/company/ACEA/.
- Contact: Cara McLaughlin, Communications Director, cm@acea.auto, +32 485 88 66 47.
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About the EU automobile industry
- 13.0 million Europeans work in the automotive sector
- 11.5% of all manufacturing jobs in the EU
- €374.6 billion in tax revenue for European governments
- €79.5 billion trade surplus for the European Union
- Almost 8% of EU GDP generated by the auto industry
- €58.8 billion in R&D spending annually, 32% of EU total
