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European employment commissioner Vladimir Spidla has announced a new "partnership" aimed at monitoring changes in employment and skills needs in the European automotive industry.

The partnership with the European vehicle makers' association ACEA, the suppliers' grouping CLEPA and the European Metalworkers Federation union, would help develop best practice on restructuring in a "socially responsible" manner, Spidla said.

The commissioner said the intention was to make better use of the European Social Fund in areas such as training and retraining of workers, and to use other European Union funds to mitigate the effects of changes in the industry.

Spidla said: "Twelve million European families depend on the automotive sector for their livelihoods. We need to ensure competitiveness and employment in this strategic industry while sustaining further progress in safety and environmental performance at a price affordable to the consumer."

ACEA secretary general Ivan Hodac said that the emphasis of the partnership had to be on competitiveness. "The European automotive industry is one of the most regulated sectors in Europe," he said. "It is of utmost importance that regulation does not unnecessarily add to production costs, increase bureaucracy and hamper flexibility."