For independent workshops to be able to compete with franchised ones, it is essential that their suppliers can provide them with the same inputs as vehicle manufacturers. ADPA therefore constantly advocates for the renewal and upgrade of the Motor Vehicle Block Exemption Regulation and its Supplementary Guidelines, a framework which has remedied to structural impediments to fair competition in the automotive aftermarket. Its provisions on access to technical information and to spare parts, as well as the ones on warranties, are of crucial importance to make sure the consumers can have a true choice and benefit from innovative and competitive services and solutions.

Over the last years, the costs to access vehicle manufacturers’ technical information have dramatically increased over inflation, sometimes by 1.000%. This has a direct impact on the ability of publishers to be able to provide complete databases covering all the makes and models services by their customers. These costs increases might be passed on to their customers, reducing their ability to propose competitive services and solutions, and ultimately to the end-consumers. ADPA therefore advocates for the prices of accessing technical information from the vehicle manufacturers to be strictly controlled.

ADPA advocates for the continuation and an improvement of the warranty provisions under the Motor Vehicle Block Exemption Regulation to ensure that consumers can continue to have their vehicles serviced and maintained under the best conditions.