Ford Motor Co. said on Wednesday that it will lay off around 3,000 workers in Germany and 800 in the United Kingdom by the end of 2027. The company defended the decision by saying it will help ensure its future competitiveness in Europe.

Ford blamed "significant competitive and economic headwinds" in the European car market, while also noting a "misalignment between CO2 regulations and consumer demand for electrified vehicles." It said it hopes the workforce reduction will mostly come from voluntary redundancies.