Tunisia's automotive industry's role in GDP

Tunisia's automotive industry accounts for 4% of the country's gross domestic product (GDP) and depends largely on exporting to Europe. This connection to European supply chains makes Tunisia an appealing location for foreign manufacturers.

Scherdel explores opportunities in Tunisia

The German company Scherdel, which specializes in making technical springs and precision metal parts for the automotive industry, is continuing its exploration of Tunisia. On October 19, 2026, a Scherdel delegation met with the Tunisian Automotive Industry Association (TAA), supported by the Tunisia-German Chamber of Industry and Commerce (AHK Tunisia) and in collaboration with GIZ Tunisia.

Focus on local partnerships

According to a statement on the TAA website, the meeting centered on leveraging local production capabilities and exploring partnerships with Tunisian manufacturers of automotive components. This visit follows an earlier exploratory mission in January 2026, where Scherdel met with the Foreign Investment Promotion Agency (FIPA-Tunisia) to learn about investment opportunities and incentives.

Germany's role in Tunisian automotive exports

Germany is a major buyer of Tunisian automotive parts. In 2025, Tunisian automotive exports totaled around 3.9 billion euros, with Germany taking 37% of that share. France, Romania, and Italy followed with smaller portions. This strong trade link with Germany likely explains why Scherdel is interested in Tunisia.

Tunisia's efforts to strengthen its automotive workforce

Tunisian authorities are taking steps to make the automotive sector more attractive. In June 2026, the Ministry of Employment announced agreements with the TAA and six companies to hire around 1,700 workers that year, with a goal of 60,000 jobs in the sector by 2030. This effort aims to align the workforce with the needs of automotive manufacturers.

Tunisia's investments in automotive infrastructure

Tunisia is also working to improve its industrial infrastructure to support the automotive industry. The Automotive Smart City project, part of a competitiveness plan for 2022–2027, aims to attract about 1 billion dinars (335 million dollars) for electric and intelligent vehicle manufacturing and 300 million dinars for component production. These figures represent goals, not yet realized investments.