Motor vehicles

Documents

As part of its market monitoring activities, the Commission's competition department has published a number of studies produced by external consultants relating to the automotive sector.

The studies included in this section were produced by external entities for or on behalf of the Commission and represent their authors' views. These views have not been adopted or in any way approved by the Commission and should not be relied upon as stating the views of the Commission or its competition department. The Commission does not guarantee the accuracy of the data included in these studies, nor does it accept responsibility for any use made thereof.

You will also find selected articles from the Competition News. In addition, this page includes links to relevant speeches by the Competition Commissioner.

Communication of the Commission and accompanying Impact Assessment on a future competition law framework for motor vehicles

Communication from the Commission (COM(2009) 388 final)
Executive Summary of the Impact Assessment Report (SEC(2009) 1053)
Impact Assessment Report (SEC(2009) 1052)
Technical annex 1 - Main policy objectives
Technical annex 2 - The economics of vertical restraints
Technical annex 3 - Evolution of the motor vehicle markets since Regulation 1400/2002 entered into force
Technical annex 4 - Comparing and contrasting the four policy options
Technical annex 5 - Identification and weighting of the relevant assessment criteria
Press release - IP/09/1168: Antitrust: Commission proposes future competition law regime for motor vehicle sector
Memo 09/348 - Frequently asked questions

Evaluation Report on Block Exemption Regulation 1400/2002

Commission Evaluation Report on the operation of Regulation (EC) N° 1400/2002 concerning motor vehicle distribution and servicing
bg cs da de el en es et fi fr hu it lt lv mt nl pl pt ro sk sl sv (PDF) (28 May 2008)

Staff working documents:

Main elements and objectives
Evolution of the motor vehicle markets
Public and private enforcement
The Impact of Regulation 1400/2002

Press release IP/08/810

Contributions from interested parties (21 November 2008)

External studies published by The Commission's competition department

Study by London Economics on Developments in car retailing and after-sales markets under Regulation 1400/2002 June 2006
Study by IKA on access to technical information in the car sector October 2004
Quantitative Study to Define the Relevant Market in the Passenger Car Sector by Frank Verboven, K.U. Leuven (PDF 394 KB) September 2002
Customer Preferences for existing and potential Sales and Servicing Alternatives in Automotive Distribution, by Dr. Lademann & Partner (PDF 470 KB) December 2001
Study on the impact of possible future legislative scenarios for motor vehicle distribution on all parties concerned - Andersen − various PDF files, December 2001
Car Price Differentials in the European Union: An Economic Analysis, by Hans Degryse and Frank Verboven, K.U. Leuven and C.E.P.R. (PDF 898 KB) November 2000
The Natural Link between Sales and Service, by Autopolis (PDF 274 KB) November 2000

Articles

The new competition framework for vertical agreements in the motor vehicle sector
by John Clark, Stephan Simon and Axel Bierer
Multi-brand distribution and access to repairer networks under Motor Vehicle Block Exemption Regulation 1400/2002: the experience of the BMW and General Motors cases
Competition Policy Newsletter, Summer 2006, page 33
Parallel import of motor vehicles: the Peugeot case
Competition Policy Newsletter, Spring 2006, page 49
The first case of application of the new motor vehicle block exemption regulation: AUDI’s authorised repairers
Competition Policy Newsletter, Summer 2003, page 53

Speeches

Introductory remarks to European Parliament on review of Motor Vehicle Block Exemption Regulation - Speech by Commissioner Joaquín Almunia.
European Parliament Plenary Session Brussels, 5 May 2010
"Market developments and future perspectives in the automotive sector" - Speech by Commissioner Neelie Kroes.
Conference organised by the European Council for Motor Trades and Repairs (CECRA). Brussels, 25th September 2006.
"The new legal framework for car distribution" - Speech by Mario MONTI.
Ninth Annual European Automotive Conference: Car retailing at a crossroads, Brussels, Belgium, 06.02.2003