The US auto maker General Motors has announced that it will keep all four plants of its European subsidiary Opel in Germany, but may shed 9,500 jobs in Europe as part of its restructuring.

While talking to reporters, the head of GM's European operations Nick Reilly confirmed that the state premier of Thuringia in eastern Germany Christine Lieberknecht that Opel's Eisenach facility in her state will remain open.

Further he said, "Opel needs to restructure the company and to reduce its capacity by 20 per cent to make it profitable again and to remain globally competitive."