The European Commission has dismissed European automakers’ call for a halt to EU free trade negotiations with South Korea.

In a statement issued by the commission’s spokesman Peter Power, the European Union said Friday that a free trade agreement would yield substantial market access opportunities for a wide range of European industries.

He said that the proposed trade pact with Seoul includes safeguards that will allow Europe to control any unexpected rise in auto imports.

European carmakers earlier called for a halt in Korea-EU FTA talks, saying that the European Union risked getting too little in return from Seoul while granting their South Korean partners full access to European markets.