EMDEN (dpa-AFX) - The President of the Chamber of Industry and Commerce (IHK) for East Frisia and Papenburg, Bernhard Brons, has called on the VW Board of Management to make a decision on locating a battery factory in Emden. "We need battery cell production here in Emden," said Brons, who is currently also Chairman of the IHK Nord, to the "Ostfriesen-Zeitung" (Monday). "After all, we want our children to still have a future in the automotive industry." Battery cell production is a "very important building block" for East Frisia. "We are probably the greenest region in the whole of Germany," said Brons, referring to the development of wind energy, for example.

Brons told the newspaper that he was concerned that it was no longer possible for companies like VW to set up in Emden 60 years ago. "Today we need much, much longer for all the approvals than 60 years ago. Despite all the concerns, I am convinced that the head of the state government has recognized this - just as the employee representatives have understood it." Now the VW Board of Management must also recognize this, said the IHK President.

The establishment of a factory for battery cells in East Frisia is being discussed again and again. According to previous information, VW is planning six cell factories in Europe. One is currently being built in Salzgitter. Others are planned or already under construction in northern Sweden, Spain and Canada. In addition, the VW Works Council recently called for at least one more cell plant to be located in Germany - for example on the North Sea coast or in Saxony. Lower Saxony's Minister President Stephan Weil, who is also a member of the VW Supervisory Board, recently also spoke out in favor of building a battery cell factory in the seaport city./len/DP/men