FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — Ford Motor Co. says it is shedding 12,000 jobs in Europe as it streamlines its operations in the region to increase profitability.

Ford of Europe said in a news release Thursday that the positions would be eliminated mostly by voluntary separation programs through the end of 2020. Some 2,000 lost jobs will be salaried positions.

Ford has already said it is closing or selling six plants in Europe. It is reducing its total there to 18 as it reorganizes its business into three divisions: commercial vehicles, passenger cars and imports of Ford models such as the Mustang.

Ford of Europe President Stuart Rowley said that "separating employees and closing plants are the hardest decisions we make."

He said the company was "providing support to ease the impact."