Developments in car retailing and after-sales markets under Regulation 1400/2002

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Practice area:Abuse of dominance | Competition & Antitrust | Competition Economics
Client:EC DG Competition
Published: June, 2006
Keywords: quantitative analysis

This report reviews market developments in automotive retailing and after-sales sectors following the entry into force of the Regulation No. 1400/2002 (the Block Exemption Regulation or, simply BER), the new EC regulation covering distribution and after sales services of new motor vehicles in the EU. The report focuses on the competition implications of the new rules for a) the distribution of new cars b) the car service and repair sector and c) the market for automotive spare parts.

The study covers developments in twelve Member States, namely Denmark, Germany, Estonia, Spain, France, Italy, Hungary, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Sweden, United Kingdom. The focus of the study is on developments over the period 1997 – 2004, with a particular emphasis on any changes during the period following the entry into force of the new BER.