Newly announced Motor Vehicle Block Exemption Regulations (MVBER) are set to help the independent trade in Europe.
The much-debated regulations finally came into force on 1st June after several years of debate. The new block exemption regulations will apply to the aftermarket with immediate affect, while the old regulations will be extended until 2013 for the primary (new vehicle sales) market, after which a general vertical exemption regime will apply to both.
For independent lubes suppliers and repair businesses this is good news, with the new regulations set to free-up automanufacturer warranties to include lube changes and repairs outside their own dealer networks. The new regulations also includes manufacturers sharing technical information with independents.
According to Lube Report's Tim Sullivan, the UEIL has given the new regulations positive, if slightly cautious, welcome. Lubes are one of a number of parts specifically listed in the new exemption regulations as well as allowing the sharing of technical information for replacement parts, which theoretically includes lubricant specifications. However, there is some concern regarding the ambiguity of wording as to whether lubricants are considered the same as fitted solid parts.
The overall intention of the complex block exemption regulation is to increase competition and allow consumers the opportunity to purchase non-OEM/preferred-supplier parts even under warranty and thus earlier in the vehicle's life cycle.