Competition regulation of the vehicle repair and maintenance market in EU

Učinkovita konkurenca na trgu popravljanja in vzdrževanja vozil je neposredno odvisna od stopnje konkurence med pooblaščenimi serviserji, in sicer med tistimi, ki delujejo znotraj servisnih mrež, ki so jih neposredno ali posredno vzpostavili proizvajalci vozil, in neodvisnimi izvajalci, vključno z neodvisnimi serviserji in dobavitelji rezervnih delov. Povprečni stroški potrošnikov v EU za storitve popravljanja in vzdrževanja motornih vozil predstavljajo zelo velik delež skupnih izdatkov potrošnikov za motorna vozila. Evropska komisija neodvisne serviserje opredeljuje kot tržne subjekte, ki zagotavljajo bistven konkurenčni pritisk kot posledico dejstva, da se njihovi poslovni modeli in stroški poslovanja razlikujejo od tistih v pooblaščenih mrežah. Neodvisnost nepooblaščenim serviserjem omogoča finančno racionalizacijo svojega poslovanja na način, ki bo potrošnikom zagotovil storitve enake kakovosti po nižji ceni. Informacije o popravilu in vzdrževanju vozil ter rezervni deli sta dva ključna vložka, ki nepooblaščenim serviserjem omogočata konkurenčnost na trgu popravljanja in vzdrževanja vozil. Nemožnost dostopanja do informacij o popravilu in vzdrževanju vozil ter do rezervnih delov za nepooblaščene serviserje dejansko pomeni izključitev iz predmetnega trga ter omejitev konkurence, ki jo v končni fazi neposredno čutijo potrošniki.Effective competition in the vehicle repair and maintenance market depends directly on the degree of competition between authorized repairers, that is, those operating within service networks, which are directly or indirectly created by vehicle manufacturers and independent contractors, including independent repairers and spare parts suppliers. The average cost of EU consumers for repair and maintenance services for motor vehicles represents a very high proportion of total consumer spending on motor vehicles. The European Commission identifies independent repairers as market operators which provide significant competitive pressure as a result of the fact that their business models and operating costs differ from those in authorized networks. Their independence enables financial rationalization of their business in a way that will provide consumers with the same quality of services at a lower price. Repair and maintenance information and spare parts are two key inputs which enables independent repairers to compete in the vehicle repair and maintenance market. Inability to access repair and maintenance information and spare parts for independent repairers will result in exclusion from the relevant market and restriction of competition which will ultimately directly affect consumers