According to Reuters, automaker Stellantis' decision to produce Alfa Romeo's first all-electric car in Poland has drawn criticism from Italian Minister of Industry Adolfo Urso. On April 11th, Urso stated that the automaker's decision violates Italian law.
The Alfa Romeo brand, under the Stellantis group, was founded in Milan in 1910 and has deep roots in the Italian car market. On April 10th, Alfa Romeo launched its new Milano compact SUV model and began production at the Tychy plant in Poland, making it the first Alfa Romeo model produced outside of Italy.
It's worth noting that the Milano model is named after the famous northern Italian city of Milan. Urso stated, "A car named Milan cannot be produced in Poland. This is not allowed under Italian law."
Urso refers to a 2003 Italian legislation targeting products that "sound Italian" but are not of Italian origin. He explained, "This law stipulates that companies cannot give misleading indications to consumers. Therefore, a car named Milan must be produced in Italy. Otherwise, it would be misleading, which is not permitted under Italian law." Typically, this law is applied in the food sector.
Stellantis has declined to comment on this matter. Currently, the Italian government and Stellantis are negotiating a plan to increase domestic car production in Italy to 1 million units.
Previously, Automotive News reported, citing Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares, that producing the Milano model in Poland instead of Italy would reduce its retail price by €10,000.
