In talks with Tesla about car production - Urso

(ANSA) - ROME, FEB 28 - Business and Made in Italy Minister Adolfo Urso said Wednesday that Tesla was among the carmakers that the government has had talks with in relation to efforts to boost auto production in Italy, which is currently dominated by Stellantis.
    "We have had talks with producers from several countries, not just eastern ones, but western ones too," Urso told the Lower House's industry committee amid reported interest from Chinese e-car maker BYD in making vehicles in Italy.
    "A German city rejected rejected a plan for the large-scale expansion of Tesla's European assembly plant," the minister said, referring to Brandenburg.
    "This will certainty lead to a decision by the group".
    With regards to Tesla, he said talks had been ongoing "for months" and the responses they had had from Elon Musk's company had been "very positive" while stressing that it is "a process that requires prudence.
    "Italy has made a late start with this policy of attracting foreign investments, we have only one car manufacturer, but, in a short period of time, we have been able to reverse the trend and get the government seen with renewed interest.
    "The interested producers are car companies that, at the moment, do not produce in Europe but are looking at our market with interest and are, as (ex-premier Mario) Draghi pointed out yesterday, aware that we will have to protect the internal market from competition with trade measures, as the United States is doing, and with industrial measures". (ANSA).