LONDON (Reuters) - Ford said on Wednesday it would cut around 14% of its European workforce, blaming significant losses in recent years compounded by weak demand for electric vehicles, a lack of government support for the shift to EVs, and rising competition.

Ford Motor Co. says it will reduce its workforce by 4,000 in Europe and the U.K. by the end of 2027, citing headwinds from the economy and pressure from increased competition and weaker-than-expected sales of electric cars.

Ford Motor Co. will look to eliminate another 4,000 positions in Europe, further retrenching from a region where the transition to electric vehicles is losing traction industrywide.

Ford has announced it will cut 800 jobs in the UK over the next three years. The move is part of a major restructuring programme, which will see 4,000 posts closed across Europe as a whole. The company said it had to act because of difficult trading conditions, including intense competition and weak demand for electric vehicles.

Ford has revealed intentions to slash approximately 800 jobs across the UK over the next three years as part of measures to pare down costs. This announcement is a segment of a broader restructuring scheme that will result in the loss of 4,000 jobs throughout Europe.

The job cuts will mostly affect Germany and the UK. They follow "significant losses" in Ford's passenger vehicle operations and an uncertain outlook.