EU rules designed to keep competition fair in car repairs and spare parts markets remain broadly fit for purpose despite rapid changes in the automotive sector.
The European Commission published on Thursday an evaluation of the Motor Vehicle Block Exemption Regulation (MVBER) and its Supplementary Guidelines, which set out how EU competition rules apply to parts of the car market, including vehicle servicing and repairs. MVBER allows certain “vertical agreements” — deals between companies at different levels of a supply chain, such as manufacturers and distributors — to avoid a general EU ban on anti-competitive agreements under Article 101(1) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union.
The assessment found the current framework has broadly met its objectives and continues to provide guidance to businesses and other stakeholders, the EU executive said.
It added that the rules have helped preserve competition between vehicle manufacturers, support cross-border trade, and maintain a role for independent repairers and spare-parts suppliers alongside authorised dealer and repair networks.
Digitalisation and electric vehicles flagged as challenges
The evaluation also identified problems linked to the growing digitalisation and electrification of vehicles, including difficulties for independent operators in getting access to technical information and vehicle-generated data, the Commission stated.
The findings will feed into the Commission’s policy considerations on the future of the MVBER framework.
