AEB not ruling out return of European manufacturers to Russia's domestic auto market

MOSCOW. Jan 13 (Interfax) - The Association of European Businesses (AEB) is not ruling out the return of European automakers to manufacturing in Russia, and the majority of the association's members remain European companies, AEB representatives said during an online press conference on Monday regarding the results of the domestic auto market.

The AEB and the committee do not comment on the policies and decisions of each brand. However, they would not rule it out at all if they were answering briefly, Alexei Kalitsev, chairman of the AEB Automobile Manufacturers Committee, said in response to European automakers possibly returning to Russia's market.

Kalitsev also said that the AEB maintains communication with many European brands that inspires a certain optimism.

Nothing could be ruled out. The situation is changing so much and could turn in a completely different direction so much that I would not rule it out [the return of European manufacturers], Kalitsev said.

AEB CEO Tadzio Schilling during the conference said that European companies remain the AEB's core membership, which is currently undisclosed.

This does not mean that there have been no changes. There is growing interest from American and Asian companies that were not previously part of the association. However, somewhere around 70%-75% of members remain of European origin. Moreover, this, of course, justifies the continued use of the name as the Association of European Businesses. We should also note that among all members of the association, not only European, but also American, Asian and others, a certain growing optimism is observed from year to year, Schilling said.