The European Commission has announced the extension of motor vehicle block exemption regulations for a further five years, as well as some new provisions which update the supplementary guidelines.  

The prolonging of the Motor Vehicle Block Exemption Regulation (‘MVBER’) for five years, means that it will now apply until the end of May 2028. At the same time Supplementary Guidelines have also been updated, mainly aimed at ensuring that aftermarket suppliers and garages continue to have access to vehicle-generated data necessary for repair and maintenance. The existing principles for the provision of technical information, tools and training necessary for the repair and maintenance services have been extended to explicitly cover vehicle-generated data.

Reacting to the news European Automotive Aftermarket Distributors Association, FIGIEFA, says it considers the prolongation of the regulation an important step in maintaining competition in the automotive aftermarket. However, the organisation says some aspects will require further clarifications. 

FIGIEFA has welcomed the update of some of the provisions on technical information to take into consideration technical progress, such as the inclusion of Advanced Driver Assistance Systems and Battery Management Systems. It has also welcomed the recognition that vehicle-generated data is an “essential input” for the provision of competitive digital services.