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Nissan boss warns UK over possible EU exit | Nissan boss warns UK over possible EU exit |
(35 minutes later) | |
Nissan will reconsider its investment in the UK if Britain leaves the European Union, chief executive Carlos Ghosn has told the BBC. | Nissan will reconsider its investment in the UK if Britain leaves the European Union, chief executive Carlos Ghosn has told the BBC. |
He was speaking in Sunderland, where Nissan employs 6,500 workers. | He was speaking in Sunderland, where Nissan employs 6,500 workers. |
Prime Minister David Cameron has promised a public vote on EU membership in 2017 if the Conservatives win the next general election in 2015. | Prime Minister David Cameron has promised a public vote on EU membership in 2017 if the Conservatives win the next general election in 2015. |
But Mr Ghosn also added that he considered the exit scenario to be unlikely. | But Mr Ghosn also added that he considered the exit scenario to be unlikely. |
When asked how Nissan would react if the UK were to leave the EU, Mr Ghosn said: "If anything has to change, we [would] need to reconsider our strategy and our investments for the future." | When asked how Nissan would react if the UK were to leave the EU, Mr Ghosn said: "If anything has to change, we [would] need to reconsider our strategy and our investments for the future." |
Nissan 'blessed' | Nissan 'blessed' |
Mr Ghosn was visiting Sunderland for the launch of the company's new Qashqai model, which will be built there. | Mr Ghosn was visiting Sunderland for the launch of the company's new Qashqai model, which will be built there. |
Praising the Sunderland plant, Mr Ghosn said it was one of the most productive in Europe and said Nissan was "blessed" to own it. | Praising the Sunderland plant, Mr Ghosn said it was one of the most productive in Europe and said Nissan was "blessed" to own it. |
With sales of more than 240,000 last year, the Qashqai is Nissan's best-selling car in Europe. | |
The car accounts for more than half the output of the Sunderland plant and Mr Ghosn says the new model "ensures" a lot of jobs in the city. | |
European market | European market |
Mr Ghosn, who is also chief executive of Nissan's sister company Renault, says that after five years of decline the European car market is arriving at "the end of the tunnel". | Mr Ghosn, who is also chief executive of Nissan's sister company Renault, says that after five years of decline the European car market is arriving at "the end of the tunnel". |
He says that next year the European market should be stable with possibly a little growth. | He says that next year the European market should be stable with possibly a little growth. |
Action by the European Central Bank, including Thursday's cut in interest rates, could help that recovery according to Mr Ghosn. | Action by the European Central Bank, including Thursday's cut in interest rates, could help that recovery according to Mr Ghosn. |