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CARS-21 Working Group on Vertical Agreements

Date

21 Feb 2012

Sections

Transport

Stakeholder agreement needed on access to vehicle repair and maintenance information (RMI)



“CARS-21 needs to give today a boost to stakeholder’s agreements on vehicle repair and maintenance information to boost the automotive aftermarket business. The European Commission recently confirmed that it expects vehicle manufacturers to provide component data in a format suitable for automatic processing.

The Commission services expect that on this basis stakeholders can find agreements on the specific conditions of vehicle component data exchange or access. Unfortunately, so far we do not see any evidence of such an agreement” said Mr Holmqvist CLEPA CEO; “And this is particularly worrying for small and medium sized enterprises who find themselves in the most vulnerable situation and for consumers who lose the freedom to choose an independent repair shop or outlet to service their car”.

Background

Commission Regulation (EU) No 566/2011 amending Regulation (EC) No 715/2007 and 692/20081 mandates that access to vehicle component data to be provided in a way that should facilitate the efficient design and deployment of multi-brand IT applications supporting the identification of alternative spare parts, by independent operators. Simple identification of components is essential so that Independent Operators can continue to provide competitive products and services to multi-brand and authorised repairers.

CLEPA welcomes the spirit and the objective of this legislation whose aim is ensure unequivocal parts identification for Independent Operators, with the aid of the Vehicle

Identification Number (VIN).

Commission services in charge of the matter expect that stakeholders find agreements on the specific conditions of vehicle component data exchange or access.

1 published in the EU Official Journal L 158

CLEPA - European Association of Automotive Suppliers

Boulevard Brand Whitlock 87

Tel: +32.2.743.91.30

Fax: +32.2.732.00.55

www.clepa.eu

info@clepa.be

BE-1200 Brussels