The Impact Of The European Union’s Decarbonization Policy On The Automotive Industry In The Czech Republic From 2009 To 2025

The thesis analyses the economic and structural impacts of selected European Union policies and legislative instruments in the field of decarbonisation on the automotive industry in the Czech Republic between 2009 and 2025. It focuses on the development of the sector’s performance, employment and investment activity, changes in the production portfolio, and technological, investment and administrative requirements imposed on firms. The research combines the analysis of sectoral and company-level data with a comparison of selected vehicle manufacturers and qualitative research. The results show that the sector maintains strong production and export performance and a prominent position within the European Union, despite facing regulatory and broader economic pressures. The selected decarbonisation measures contribute to expanded production of electrified vehicles, changes in the production portfolio and the transformation of business processes. At the same time, they are associated with increasing technological, investment and administrative requirements. The thesis adds value by combining long-term sectoral indicators with company-level data and qualitative evidence. This approach identifies specific mechanisms through which regulation affects the industry, although its separate quantitative effect cannot be precisely isolated from other factors influencing the sector’s development.