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General Motors Europe has agreed to put two models of a new-generation vehicle into its Antwerp plant in Belgium when the production run of the current Astra finishes. Antwerp lost out when GM decided on just four locations for the next-generation Astra, due for launch in 2010.

In an agreement with the European Employee Forum today, GM announced that two models from one of its "global architectures" would be built at the Belgian plant, with the plant being the exclusive European supplier for these models.

"Furthermore GME will review potential opportunities for additional models, assuming the ongoing competitiveness of the plant," the GM Europe statement said.

But the group added that a "prerequisite" for continued work at Antwerp was a "competitiveness enhancement", which includes agreement on a future three-shift system and detailed work organisation.

GME president Carl-Peter Forster said: "The significant structural improvements we are aiming for will make it possible to allocate an appropriate production volume to the plant."

Klaus Franz, chairman of the EEF, said: "After we've achieved our target to avoid a plant closure, we've now reached the second important step to get two products to Antwerp that point the way ahead. One of these products will be an Opel model and there are good opportunities for an additional model."