Government Focuses on Five Key Areas to Support the Automotive Industry
On Friday, July 4, 2025, the Government of the Slovak Republic held a meeting attended also by representatives of car manufacturers, industry associations, and organizations. The Slovak automotive industry, employing around 128,000 people and contributing 10% to Slovakia’s GDP, is undergoing the largest transformation in its history, further influenced by the current geopolitical situation. The government approved a series of measures to ensure the competitiveness of the sector, which forms the backbone of the Slovak economy. The document was prepared in cooperation with the country’s largest carmakers, experts, and relevant institutions.
“The automotive industry is vital for our economy, and we are fully aware of it – it creates tens of thousands of jobs, attracts further strategic investments to Slovakia, and drives innovation. Our government is taking steps to maintain the sector’s competitiveness, with the aim of supporting research, education, and decarbonization. We want Slovakia to be not just an assembly line, but a country where the technologies of the future are developed, tested, and manufactured. That is why we are actively communicating with representatives of the sector and together we have identified the priorities we will continue to focus on intensively,” said Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy, Denisa Saková.
The new government proposal focuses on five key areas identified based on the demands of representatives of the Slovak automotive industry and an analysis of current trends. Important areas include supporting further investment in car manufacturing and its decarbonization, taking advantage of measures developed by the European Commission. Education and possible retraining, adjusted to the needs of the automotive industry, will play a central role – with special attention to supporting centers of excellence that connect businesses with universities and new mechanisms for commercializing research results. Other priorities include the development of waste recovery and the circular economy, as well as the removal of barriers to the development of new vehicles, including assisted and autonomous ones. The Slovak government will also focus on supporting stability in global trade relations, including raw material availability.
Slovakia is already actively supporting the automotive industry – all car plants have received state aid totaling €885.1 million, creating nearly 15,000 direct jobs. The government is also actively supporting the supply chain. Since taking office in October 2023, it has provided investment aid for 10 projects in the field of parts and battery production, worth a total of €1.8 billion.
Electromobility is also experiencing dynamic growth. The number of registered electric vehicles in Slovakia rose by 44% in 2024, reaching more than 18,000 units. The number of charging points reached 2,424, representing a year-on-year increase of 34%. From Slovakia’s Recovery and Resilience Plan, the construction of another 3,000 charging points is being prepared, including 251 ultra-fast stations. In the second half of 2025, Kia will also launch production of its fully electric model.
The sector’s transformation is further supported by European funds. Out of €1.58 billion allocated under the Slovakia Programme and the Recovery and Resilience Plan, €1.214 billion has already been approved. So far, 28 projects worth €100 million have been supported from the Modernisation Fund, while additional calls worth more than €550 million are currently under evaluation.
The transformation of the automotive industry is not only a matter of technology, but also of cooperation and coordination between the public and private sectors. The Ministry of Economy of the Slovak Republic therefore maintains dialogue with manufacturers, suppliers, municipalities, and experts. At the same time, it ensures coordination between individual ministries and monitors the implementation of approved tasks. The Slovak government will continue to respond flexibly to new challenges, with the goal of ensuring that Slovakia remains a country actively contributing to the future of mobility.
The Press Department of MoE SR