(ANSA-AFP) - BRUSSELS, 16 OTT - France and Germany confirmed Friday that they had reached a deal aimed at protecting Europe's struggling automotive sector, with agreements on the flashpoint issues of EU car emissions and "made in Europe" components. The pact, which is likely to shape EU policy going forward, envisages a further relaxing of CO2 emission rules and the inclusion of Britain in a public procurement scheme to bolster European car industries. "We are driven by a clear ambition: to successfully transform our automotive industry while maintaining our climate goals and our production in Europe," French President Emmanuel Macron said. Writing on X, Chancellor Friedrich Merz of Germany hailed "a good day for motorists and employment in Germany, France, and Europe." Paris and Berlin had been at loggerheads on the course Europe should take as it tries to revive a sector that accounts for 13 million jobs and seven percent of the bloc's collective GDP. Germany wanted less stringent carbon emission targets for carmakers and a broad interpretation of "made in Europe" requirements to include key non-EU trade partners. France had pushed to preserve the bloc's climate ambitions and to restrict the "made in Europe" public procurement scheme to EU nations. Berlin won the first argument while Paris carried the day on the latter. "France and Germany propose a comprehensive package that combines an ambitious European decarbonisation pathway with the regulatory flexibility needed to reflect different market realities and technological conditions," the statement said. (ANSA-AFP).