ROME, Dec 12 (Reuters) - European car sales next year will remain more or less at their 2012 level, the head of Italian carmaker's association ANFIA said on Wednesday.

Western European car sales have fallen 7.3 percent to 10.33 million vehicles so far this year, according to latest data from Brussels-based industry group ACEA, led by double-digit declines in crisis-hit Greece, Italy and Portugal.

'I do not see the car sales situation changing much next year,' ANFIA chairman Roberto Vavassori said when asked for a market forecast. 'That is the trend. In Italy, I think we could see a small contraction.'

Automakers are facing a sustained slump in the European market against the backdrop of the euro zone debt crisis and government austerity measures.

New car sales in Italy plunged 20.1 percent in November year-on-year to 106,491 vehicles, the transport ministry said on Dec. 3.

(Reporting by Alberto Sisto; Writing by Jennifer Clark; Editing by Dan Lalor) Keywords: CARSALES EUROPE/ANIFA

(jennifer.clark1@thomsonreuters.com)(+3902 66129422)

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