Sources: Toyota admitted to ACEA

Toyota will be admitted to ACEA, people familiar to the matter told Automotive News Europe. ACEA is expected to announce Toyota's admission later this week or early next week.

ACEA represents 13 major European car, truck and bus manufacturers. The association lobbies the EU on regulatory issues affecting the industry. Its members include the US carmakers Ford Motor and General Motors.

ACEA has previously rejected Toyota's bid to become an ACEA member, but declined to say why the carmaker was not allowed to join the association.

Toyota debuted in the European market in 1963 when it began selling cars in Denmark. The carmaker expanded into other European countries over the next 24 years.

Toyota's first factory in Europe opened in Burnaston, central England in 1989.

The Japanese carmaker believes it has valid credentials to be considered a major European manufacturer.

Toyota says the majority of the cars it sells in Europe are sold in Europe.

The carmaker invested about 6 billion euros in Europe in the past 14 years. It employs 20,000 people in Europe and buys about 5 billion euros worth of locally produced parts.