Nissan Motor has initiated formal consultations with the labor union representing employees at its European regional headquarters in France, as part of a wider restructuring plan that could include job losses, according to internal communications and a company document reviewed on Wednesday.
The Japanese automaker, currently undergoing a major global overhaul, confirmed discussions have begun with staff representatives at its Nissan Automotive Europe office in Montigny-le-Bretonneux, near Paris. The site employs around 560 people and also manages operations across Africa, the Middle East, India, and Oceania.
While no decisions have yet been finalized, the company document indicated that voluntary redundancies would be prioritized before any compulsory layoffs. The consultation process is expected to conclude by October 20, with full details to be shared with employees in November.
In an internal email dated July 31, Massimiliano Messina, Nissan’s vice chairperson for the region, wrote that the company is “working diligently and respectfully with all parties to ensure that this process is conducted with care, transparency and in full compliance with legal requirements.”
The move is part of a sweeping restructuring strategy introduced earlier this year by Chief Executive Ivan Espinosa. The plan includes reducing the global workforce by about 15%, cutting production capacity by nearly 30% to 2.5 million vehicles, and reducing the number of manufacturing sites worldwide from 17 to 10. Nissan expects to save approximately 500 billion yen ($3.4 billion) through these measures.
The company, which has experienced sluggish sales in key markets such as China and the United States, is also scaling back production elsewhere. It recently announced plans to end output at its Civac facility in Mexico by March 2026 and will phase out manufacturing at Japan’s Oppama plant by March 2028 and at Nissan-Shatai’s Shonan factory by March 2027.
Nissan currently employs nearly 19,000 people across Europe, Africa, the Middle East, India, and Oceania, with around 60% of its regional workforce based in Europe, according to its most recent diversity report.