Lisbon, April 14, 2025 (Lusa) - Exports of automotive components by Portuguese companies were in February down 3.7% on the same month a year earlier, to around €1 billion, according to figures released on Monday by the Association of Manufacturers for the Automotive Industry (AFIA).

In the first two months of this year taken together, exports were down 2.9% year-on-year to around €2 billion, the group said.

In a statement, the AFIA explains that "the automotive industry has been negatively affected by the slower than expected growth in sales of electric vehicles and by the heightening of geopolitical tensions, which have contributed greatly to the worsening of instability and uncertainty in the market." 

Europe in February remained the main destination for components manufactured in Portugal, accounting for 88.5% of such exports, although there was a year-on-year drop of 3.5% in these sales.

Regarding the main individual markets, Spain tops the list, followed by Germany, France and the US, with exports to these respectively down 4.5%, 9.1%, 0.4% and 4.4% on the year. 

By contrast, the association notes, sales to Morocco showed "exponential growth, up 49.1%" with the country now Portugal's eight most important market for auto parts, up three places from a year earlier.

"Leveraged by the industrial acceleration plan, Morocco currently has an annual production capacity of 750,000 vehicles, with the industrial growth plans of Renault (two plants, Casablanca and Tangier) and Stellantis (Kenitra) contributing to this," the statement quotes José Couto, the AFIA president, as saying.

MES/ARO // ARO.

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