The European Garage Equipment Association Joins the Global Right to Repair Movement for Vehicles

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Automotive Aftermarket Releases Best Practice Guidelines for Legislators

BRUSSELS – March 09, 2023 – EGEA has joined other global association leaders to support the critical global right to repair movement by signing the new right to repair position statement. The statement enumerates the core beliefs of the movement and the objectives and intended outcomes of right to repair legislation. Importantly, the document sets forth 10 best practice principles to developing a framework for right to repair legislation that any supporting country can use and adapt them to their needs.

Globally, the automotive aftermarket keeps 1.5 billion vehicles on the road while contributing $1.8 trillion to the global economy. After vehicles exit their warranty period, independent repair shops perform 70% of repairs. This vibrant industry and the consumer choice that it creates is being threatened by automotive manufacturers that block access to wirelessly transmitted vehicle repair and maintenance data.

Without the convenience and choice of independent parts and repair, especially in suburban and rural communities, consumers will have limited access to affordable vehicle service and repair. These restrictions can have catastrophic effects on local economies and the well-being and safety of millions that rely on vehicle transportation daily.

In Europe, the automotive retail and service sector employs more than 4.5 million people, in more than 500,000 companies, mostly SMEs, and services approximately 400,000,000 vehicles in circulation. The total revenue of the European vehicle aftermarket was estimated to be around €400 billion in 2020, with a steady growth rate of around 3% per year. This revenue includes sales of spare parts, accessories, and services provided by workshops.

Frank Beaujean, president of EGEA said:

“The right to repair is essential for our industry and our customers. It promotes healthy competition and supports sustainability. We must advocate for this right and work with policymakers to protect it.”

Both Australia and South Africa have successfully retained their drivers’ right to repair their vehicles.  These countries are a model for similar legislation in Europe that levels the playing field and keeps the consumer at the heart of decision-making across the transportation ecosystem.

Read the full position statement here.

Organizations interested in supporting the right to repair vehicles of all classes can contact sg@egea-association.eu to join the global movement.

Release the handbrake!
End delays to legislative proposal on access to in-vehicle data and unleash
Europe’s data-driven mobility markets

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A vast majority of the automotive and mobility services ecosystem together with consumers
urge the European Commission to urgently propose an effective sector-specific legislation on
access to in-vehicle data

Brussels, 24 January 2023

The Independent Service Providers (ISPs) grouping have written to President von der Leyen and the
relevant College of Commissioners to put an end to the repeated delays in proposing legislation on access
to in-vehicle data, functions and resources. Doing so would unleash the untapped potential to create real
competition in Europe’s data-driven automotive and mobility markets.
The ISP Group commented:
“The Commission committed to bringing forward access to in-vehicle data legislation in December
2020 by the end of 2021. We’re now in 2023 and the proposal has been delayed yet again. Despite
six years of painstaking Commission evidence-gathering and previous strategic policy plans, the vast
majority of the sector are left in limbo and investment decisions are delayed in the face of substantial
market barriers that benefit just one segment of a potentially huge market.
We urge the Commission President to get this process back on track. This legislation is vital to unblock
the automotive and mobility services sector market. Almost every European uses some form of
mobility every day and they should be able to enjoy the benefits of data-driven innovation, choice
and affordability in the automotive and mobility ecosystem. Today they can’t. The Commission must
rectify this.”
The Commission has a rich history of market-enabling legislation from telecoms to aviation, rail and
energy. The recent series of legislative measures part of the European Data Strategy addresses significant
market distortions that will enable a more vibrant and competitive European Internet economy that is not
captive to a few dominant players. Yet, it seems completely anomalous that, despite all the evidence
gathered over the last six years, the European automotive and mobility ecosystem continues to face all
the same market barriers and distortions that the EU itself has addressed in the wider EU Data Strategy
series of regulations for the Internet economy, including the increasing dependency on the technology
platforms of the hyperscalers.
The undersigned associations urge the Commission to get the regulatory process for a sector-specific
regulation on ‘access to in-vehicle data & resources’ back on track immediately so that there is time for
the co-legislators to scrutinise and adopt the text before the end of the Parliamentary term in May 2024.

Background
The Independent Service Providers (ISPs) grouping represents a wide range of operators in the European
automotive aftermarket and mobility service providers who are investing in the development of digitalised
services and data-driven innovation. However, the ISPs are currently hampered by the restricted access
to data that stems from the privileged access by-design system built into the car that confers a dominant
position and competitive advantage to the vehicle manufacturers. This deprives the European mobility
consumer and business user of greater choice through innovation and affordable mobility and aftermarket
services. This, in turn, jeopardises European competitiveness and other political objectives, such as
greater access to safer, smarter and more sustainable mobility services.
Digital services in vehicles and everyday mobility are rich in potential and can actively support and
accelerate the whole EU Sustainable and Smart Mobility agenda. However, they are developing more
slowly than they should in Europe because up until now, vehicle manufacturers have privileged control
of the data generated by the vehicles they sell – but do not own – to the detriment of the vehicle owner.
This advantage is compounded by the increasing dependency on the technology platforms of the
hyperscalers. Such platforms are regulated by the EU Data Strategy series of regulations for the
mainstream Internet economy, but not in the vehicle, despite their rapidly growing role in this sector in
partnership with vehicle manufacturers.

European Commission’s proposal for Data Act welcomed,
but robust automotive-specific legislation urgently required

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Brussels, 23 February 2022 – A broad coalition representing a wide range of major automotive aftermarket stakeholders, as well as operators in the mobility services value chain, consumers, the insurance and the tyre industries welcomes today’s publication of the proposal by the European Commission for a European Union’s Data Act.
The Data Act lays down important principles. It establishes an important right for users to access the data generated through their use of connected products, and to assign rights of access to the data to a third-party service provider of their choice. Also, aftermarket repair and maintenance services and access to diagnostics information are explicitly included. Other important provisions include the manufacturer’s obligations to make the data transparent and “easily accessible” to the user, restrictions on the manufacturer to monitor the activities of the user or third-party and on compensation for the costs of making data available, particularly for SMEs.
However, while the coalition recognises the Data Act represents a relevant step forward towards the development of the European Data Economy, it strongly believes that the Data Act will not be sufficient by itself in the automotive sector. The ecosystem needs sector-specific automotive legislation translating the principles and provisions of the Data Act into concrete, legal and technical measures for the automotive sector. Also, certain aspects of the Data Act require more clarity for the automotive sector, as they currently leave too much room for interpretation, creating legal uncertainty and a high risk of litigation. Only a dedicated piece of legislation will provide the confidence and incentive independent service providers require to invest in new data driven services, which will benefit consumers and the whole society by providing smarter, safer and more sustainable mobility solutions.
Aside from the explicit user consent for access to data, third-party service providers require stand-alone access rights to the information and resources that are essential to develop competing services. Under the Data Act approach, all these service providers would however only get a derived right, which completely neglects that these parties need, in the first instance, to know and test in advance what data and functions are in principle available and will be at their disposal. Therefore, only an autonomous and stand-alone access right to the tools and resources required to develop the means of access will enable the independent service providers to develop competing digital services in advance so that these can be offered, marketed and advertised to the consumers or other data co-generators. Access rights must be backed by proper means to exert them.
Furthermore, five years of wide-ranging evidence-gathering by the European Commission with the contribution from stakeholders of the ecosystem, have underlined that, whilst the use cases for vehicle-generated data are potentially limitless, they are entirely dependent on efficient access to in-vehicle data and resources.
The coalition therefore calls on the European Commission to swiftly propose robust sector-specific legislation on access to in-vehicle data and resources so that co-decision procedure can proceed as from October 2022 and be completed before the end of this parliamentary term in April 2024.

Secure On-board Telematics Platform Approach

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Creating a level playing field for vehicle data access in the interest of consumers:

Brussels, 30 March 2021 – A large coalition representing automotive dealers, aftermarket and consumers is calling on the European Union to take on board its proposal for a Secure On-board Telematics Platform (S-OTP) when legislating on access to in-vehicle data. In the detailed document, “Creating a level playing field for vehicle data access: Secure On-board Telematics Platform Approach”, publishers of technical information, body repairers, dealers and workshops, garage equipment suppliers, tyre manufacturers, road patrols, parts distributors and leasing and rental companies, as well as consumers, provide technical and commercial arguments sustaining their recommendation.


It is a solution guaranteeing true consumer choice, effective competition and free entrepreneurship in a secure and technology-neutral manner.


With the advent of the connected car, competition now starts in the vehicle where the ability to safely and securely access in-vehicle data, functions and resources determines the quality of the service. The intention of the S-OTP is therefore to ensure that consumers can still choose and rely on service providers, many of them SMEs, to benefit from innovative, competitive and affordable services and products, improving road mobility, safety and sustainability. To do so, service providers have to be able to compete with all mobility stakeholders, some of whom might be tempted to act as “gatekeepers” through proprietary access methods to in-vehicle data.
As a solution addressing the challenges of true consumer choice, security and free entrepreneurship in the automotive services sector, the S-OTP is based on some key characteristics, such as:
• Consumer is in full control regarding the access to in-vehicle data;
• A clear separation of duties, with free management of access control for all service providers, including vehicle manufacturers;
• Unmonitored and undistorted communication between in-vehicle services and their respective back ends;
• Independent customer contract/direct consent management and service offering without the interposition of the vehicle manufacturer;
• Standardised access to in-vehicle networks via safe and secure software interfaces enabling bi-directional communication with the vehicle;
• The ability to safely interact with the driver through the vehicles human-machine interfaces.

Enabling effective competition in the automotive aftermarket, the S-OTP would benefit consumers and society at large, by:
• Empowering consumers by ensuring their rights on privacy and widening their choice of service providers;
• Boosting innovation and facilitating the digital transformation of mobility and the deployment of a digital ecosystem of services;
• Contributing to the European Union’s path to become a frontrunner in connected and autonomous mobility and related services.


The S-OTP concept is in line with the European institutions’ ambitious goals to foster innovation and legislate in a way that works for the modern economy. The initial concept has been enriched to take into account the increased (cyber-)security requirements, by including certification of service providers and a robust approach to the development of secure applications, which consumers and operators can choose to install in their vehicles.


The coalition of associations has fed this concept into the study conducted by TRL on behalf of the European Commission, and invite the European legislators to take into account this detailed and complete solution (which enables consumers, vehicles and independent businesses to go smarter, safer, greener) when assessing legislative options.

Netherlands to start particulate measuring on 1 July 2022

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On 1 July 2022, the Netherlands will be the first country in Europe to start mandatory particle measurement for diesel cars Commercial vehicles and trucks. The Dutch government had already adopted a particle measurement procedure at the end of 2020, but now also within the PTI.

Diesel passenger cars must have a manufacturer-mounted particulate filter from 2011 to meet European emission requirements. For diesel delivery vehicles this will apply from 2012. It is now estimated that there are between 100,000 and 125,000 diesel cars in the Netherlands that are subject to the PTI and cannot pass the test because the particulate filter is defective or has been removed. As a result, they emit more particulate matter than is legally permitted.

Originally, the measurement procedure was to start on 1 January 2022 as part of the periodic technical vehicle inspection. The transitional period for the introduction of the procedure has been extended by six months. In addition, the permissible particulate limit value for diesel vehicles first registered in 2015 has been raised from 250,000 ppm to 1,000,000. The responsible ministry justified the increase by stating that the aim of the particle measurement procedure is to detect and remove from circulation primarily diesel vehicles with manipulated/dismantled particle filters. RAI association https://www.raivereniging.nl/ section manager Martijn van Eikenhorst welcomes the introduction of particle filter retesting under the PTI from July 2022. “Measuring is knowing. And in this way, we ensure that not only new cars, but also the driving fleet remains as clean as possible. This is an important step towards a healthy mobility system.”  

Besides the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany are also preparing a particle measurement procedure for diesel vehicles. In Germany, it was originally planned to start particle measurement as part of the periodic technical vehicle inspection on 1 January 2021. This plan failed in practice due to the timely definition of an agreed test procedure by the responsible authorities and the responsible Federal Ministry of Transport in Berlin. Questions regarding the calibration and verification of the systems and procedures have also remained unresolved in Germany to date, despite intensive support from experts in the workshop equipment industry and the ASA Federal Association. Experts do not expect a particle measurement procedure to be launched in Germany before January 2023.

In the EGEA, there will be an exchange of experiences and developments around particle measurement in the working groups in the future and the know-how will be accessible to all eleven national associations within the EGEA. “Of course, we will also share our knowledge with those responsible in European politics and, where desired, we will be happy to provide technical advice with our experts,” concluded Jordi Brunet, Secretary General of the EGEA in Brussels.  

FOR A RESILIENT AUTOMOTIVE AFTERMARKET ENSURING SUSTAINABLE EUROPEAN MOBILITY

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12 measures for the recovery and post-COVID-19 period

Brussels, 17th of June 2020 – Six associations representing different sectors of the automotive servicing and mobility value chain, which brings together more than 500.000 SMEs and 4,3 million jobs, as well as the umbrella association of European SMEs, have published today a set of 12 measures for the recovery and post-COVID-19 period.


This essential sector has been severely affected by the COVID-19 crisis and its economic and social consequences, putting the prosperous development of companies and of jobs is at risk. In order to allow a swift relaunch of the automotive aftermarket and assist the European Union’s institutions in identifying the appropriate measures on the recovery path, the signatories representing different sectors of the automotive/mobility value chain have prepared a set of 12 detailed recommendations.


These 12 proposals do not look only at measures and incentives which could address, in the short term, the imminent effects of the crisis and kickstart the economy, but in the medium- to long-term to build lasting and prosperous recovery making the entire sector stronger and more resilient to future unexpected events.

  1. Addressing liquidity of SMEs
  2. Targeted measures to those in need
  3. Specific funding opportunities for responsible investments and qualified workforce
  4. Free movement of labour
  5. Free movement of goods
  6. Safe working places for employees in Europe
  7. Encourage people to get their vehicles ‘eco-checked’
  8. Contribute to ensuring a cleaner environment – eliminate ‘gross polluters’ during PTI
  9. Digitalisation: Swift adoption of EU legislation on access to in-vehicle data and resources needed
  10. Promote the circular economy and move towards a more sustainable & circular automotive services sector
  11. Maintain and modernise the Motor Vehicle Block Exemption Regulation
  12. Organise a European Automobile Value Chain Summit

For both the recovery plan and post-COVID world, putting SMEs in the centre of its focus would help unleash their important contribution towards the whole European economy. Equally, in line with the objectives of the EU, helping the sector on its way to be more digitised and circular, will make the EU and its economy more sustainable, resilient and fit for current and future mobility, labour and environmental challenges.


“A swift adoption of EU legislation on access to in-vehicle data and resources is needed to enable the automotive aftermarket to succeed in the digitalisation challenge” – ADPA President, Ralf Pelkmann


“We urgently need support measures of financial and economic nature to fight the imminent effects of the crisis and relaunch economic activity in Europe” – AIRC Director General, Thomas Aukamm


“Encourage people to get their vehicles ‘eco-checked’ will stimulate demand and contribute to the EU’s environmental objectives ” – CECRA Director General, Bernard Lycke


“We can foster economic activity across the whole automotive sector value chain while being in line with the wider goals of the European Union” – EGEA Secretary General, Jordi Brunet


“We want to resolve the current issues, return to a ‘new normal’, and reimagine the industry to make it competitive, resilient and sustainable” – FIGIEFA CEO, Sylvia Gotzen.

“The Single Market, protecting companies, employees and consumers, has to work again; free movement of labour and of goods must be reinstated” – SMEunited Secretary General, Véronique Willems

“Promoting the circular economy and moving towards a more sustainable and circular automotive servicing sector will help us address tomorrow’s challenges” – UEIL Board Member, Jos Jong

For an ambitious EU Industrial Strategy – EGEA together with 121 associations propose a governance structure

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EGEA together with 121 associations signed the Industry4Europe joint paper proposing a governance structure for an ambitious EU Industrial Strategy

 

European Commission Mobility Package outlines vision for automated mobility but fails to set out a clear plan for access to in-vehicle data

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Brussels, 17 May 2018. The European Commission has today published its third legislative Mobility Package, which covers a wide range of topics, including connected and automated driving.

The undersigned stakeholder coalition welcomes the Commission’s acknowledgement of the vehicle manufacturers’ privileged position on ‘access to car data and vehicle resources’ and the issues it raises for fair and undistorted competition, in particular in the form of centralised ‘extended vehicle data platform servers’.

However, our stakeholder coalition has serious concerns because the package fails to set out a clear legislative pathway to guarantee a level playing field for all digital products and services ‘around the car’, which would ensure that consumers can truly decide who they share their car data with and for what specific services.

The Commission’s proposals merely reiterate previous statements found in its GEAR 2030 Report, and falls significantly short of what is required to ensure competitive digital services and products for drivers.

Unless legislation is implemented on an interoperable, standardised, secure and safe digital in-vehicle telematics platform, then there is a serious threat to competition, innovation and consumer choice for mobility services and digital products. The time to act is now, as the volume of connected vehicles is rapidly increasing.

The coalition therefore calls upon the Commission to act upon its recommendation to “monitor the situation on access to in-vehicle data and resources” and deliver – also in line with the Parliament‘s  Report on C-ITS – a concrete work programme leading to a legal framework enabling equal competition in digital services.

Moreover, the Commission can prove its commitment now by adopting a definition of Remote Diagnostics Support (currently under discussion as follow-up of the Repair and Maintenance Information provisons of the Vehice Type-Approval Regulation) which should enable a remote, bi-directional and independent communication with the vehicle for service providers to access in-vehicle data.

Furthermore and until a legislative proposal is adopted, all service providers should have the right to non-discriminatory access to vehicle manufacturers’ own systems of access to in-vehicle data and resources or to those in-vehicle data/resources systems offered already today to chosen third parties, which is currently not the case.

* * *

Undersigned Industry, Consumer and SME Associations: 

ADPA – the European Independent Data Publishers Association aims to ensure fair access to automotive data and information and to provide competitive framework conditions for independent data publishers. This will allow the publishers to be able to design and provide competitive, innovative and multibrand products and services to operators of the automotive aftermarket. Contact: Laurence Eeckhout – EU Affairs Manager – laurence.eeckhout@adpa.eu  – tel: +32 2 761 95 16.

CECRA – the European Council for Motor Trades and Repairs- is the European Federation representing the interests of the motor trade and repair businesses and European Dealer Councils on behalf of vehicle dealers for specific makes. Its main aim is to maintain a favourable European regulatory framework for the enterprises of motor trade and repair businesses it represents. Contact: Bernard Lycke – Director General – Bernard.lycke@cecra.eu – tel: +32 2 771 96 56.

CITA is the international association of public and private sector organisations actively practicing compulsory inspection of in-service motor vehicles and their trailers, or with responsibility for authorising and supervising inspection organisations. CITA has defined its vision as enabling its members to play an influential role in the development and implementation of policies for safe and sustainable road usage. This vision will be supported by CITA’s Mission to provide the forums to create, assess and promote best practice, ensuring safe and compliant vehicles throughout their life cycle. Contact: Eduard Fernandez – Executive Director – e.fernandez@citainsp.org – +32 2 469 06 70.

EGEA – the European Garage and test Equipment Association represents both manufacturers and importers of tools and equipment for the repair, servicing and technical inspection of vehicles, as an integral part of supporting the automotive industrial value chain. Its role is to ensure that its associations’ members can provide the best equipment and service to the automotive aftermarket by striving to keep members up-to-date concerning new vehicle technologies and legislative and standardisation requirements and thus be competitive in the garage and test equipment supply, service and calibration industry. Contact: Eléonore van Haute – Secretary General – Eleonore.vanhaute@egea-association.eu  – tel: +32 2 761 95 15.

ETRMA is the voice of tyre and rubber goods producers to various European institutions. ETRMA activities focus on the following key interdependent areas: representation, co-ordination, communication, promotion and technical liaison. The primary objective of ETRMA is to represent the regulatory and related interests of the European tyre and rubber manufacturers at both European and international levels. ETRMA is the sole interlocutor, specifically designated by the European tyre and rubber producers to carry out this critical task. Contact: Fazilet Cinaralp – Secretary General – f.cinaralp@etrma.org and Marianna Faino – Coordinator Environment & Transport – m.faino@etrma.org – tel: +32 2 218 49 40.

FIA Region I is a federation of Motoring and Touring Clubs. FIA Region I represents the interest of these members as motorists, public transport users, pedestrians and tourists in Europe. Its primary goal is to secure a mobility that is safe, affordable, sustainable and efficient. Contact: Chris Carroll – Policy Director – ccarroll@fia.com – tel: +32 2 282 08 18.

FIGIEFA is the international federation of independent automotive aftermarket distributors. Its members represent retailers and wholesalers of automotive replacement parts and components and their associated repair chains. FIGIEFA’s aim is to maintain free and effective competition in the market for vehicle replacement parts, servicing and repair. Contact: Sylvia Gotzen – CEO – Sylvia.gotzen@figiefa.eu – tel: +32 2 761 95 10.

Insurance Europe is the European insurance and reinsurance federation. Through its 35 member bodies — the national insurance associations — Insurance Europe represents all types of insurance and reinsurance undertakings, eg pan-European companies, monoliners, mutuals and SMEs. Insurance Europe, which is based in Brussels, represents undertakings that account for around 95% of total European premium income. Insurance makes a major contribution to Europe’s economic growth and development. European insurers generate premium income of €1 200bn, directly employ over 940 000 people and invest over €10 100bn in the economy. Contact: Thomas Gelin – Policy Advisor – Tel: +32 2 894 30 48 – Gelin@insuranceeurope.eu

Leaseurope – the European Federation of Leasing Company Associations- represents both the leasing and automotive rental industries in Europe. The scope of products covered by Leaseurope members’ ranges from hire purchase and finance leases to operating leases of all asset categories (automotive, equipment and real estate). It also includes the short-term rental of cars, vans and trucks. Contact: Richard Knubben – Director – r.knubben@leaseurope.com – tel: +32 2 778 05 68.

UEAPME is the employers’ organisation representing the interests of European crafts, trades and SMEs at EU level. UEAPME is a recognised European Social Partner. It is a non-profit seeking and non-partisan organisation. As the European SME umbrella organisation, UEAPME incorporates 67 member organisations from 34 countries consisting of national cross-sectorial SME federations, European branch federations and other associate members, which support the SME family. UEAPME represents about 12 million enterprises, which employ around 55 million people across Europe. Contact: Dieter Grohmann – Director Communication and Media – d.grohmann@ueapme.com –  +32 2 285 07 05 and Véronique Willems – Secretary General – v.willems@ueapme.com – +32 2 285 07 22.

UEIL (the Union of the European Lubricants Industry) represents the interests of the lubricants industry in Europe, with a special focus on SMEs and independent companies that produce lubricants and metal processing fluids essential for the automotive and industrial sectors. Contact: Jos Jong – Past President UEIL – josjong@planet.nl;  UEIL:  tel.: +32 2 504 90 03.