FIGIEFA - Automotive Aftermarket Distributors

#ImportantNews: The European Union (finally) adopts a Repair Clause, allowing freedom of choice for visible automotive spare parts. Since its creation in 1993, ECAR - Freedom of repair, to which FIGIEFA has always been a proud member, has been advocating for the adoption of a European #RepairsClause which provides to all citizens a real, open and affordable ‘right to choose’. Already existing in several Member States, the Repair Clause rightly gives vehicle manufacturers full protection over the design of their new cars, but it merely ensures that this protection is not extended to the corresponding visible spare parts (such as car body panels, headlamps and windscreens). This means that these parts may freely be produced, distributed and used for repair purposes in the #Aftermarket. The EU Repair Clause will bring significant social and economic benefits. Once fully applied, experts predict that European consumers in the automotive sector will save between EUR 450 million and EUR 720 million annually thanks to increased competition, thus improving purchasing power and countering inflation. It will stimulate job creation and entrepreneurship in the European automotive aftermarket, which accounts for more than 500,000 SMEs and 4.5 million jobs! #RightToRepair #AutomotiveAftermarket

🇵🇱: Data Act, chociaż wprowadza ogólne ramy regulujące dostęp do danych, jest z natury horyzontalny. Oznacza to, że obejmuje szerokie spektrum produktów, od szczoteczek do zębów po samoloty. Ronan McDonagh, Technical Director, FIGIEFA - Automotive Aftermarket Distributors, zwraca uwagę, że brak w nim szczegółowych regulacji dostosowanych do specyfiki sektora motoryzacyjnego: „Data Act sam w sobie jest dobry, ale brak mu sektorowych szczegółów. Nie odpowiada na pytania, jakie konkretnie dane mają być udostępniane i jak to wdrożyć w naszej branży”. Zachęcamy do obejrzenia wywiadu dla Dziennik Gazeta Prawna przeprowadzonego podczas XIX Kongresu Przemysłu i Rynku Motoryzacyjnego. _____________________________________ 🇬🇧: The Data Act, while introducing a general framework for regulating access to data, is horizontal in nature. This means that it covers a wide range of products, from toothbrushes to aeroplanes. Ronan McDonagh, Technical Director, FIGIEFA - Automotive Aftermarket Distributors, points out that it lacks detailed regulations tailored to the specifics of the automotive sector: "The Data Act itself is good, but it lacks sector-specific detail. It does not answer the questions of what specific data should be shared and how to implement it in our industry." We encourage you to watch the interview for Dziennik Gazeta Prawna conducted during the 19th Congress of the Automotive Industry and Market. #SDCM #KongresSDCM

Advocating for a Truly Circular Automotive Industry at the European Parliament: This week, represented by Laurence Eeckhout, FIGIEFA proudly took the stage at the EPP Group in the European Parliament Hearing on End-of-Life Vehicles (ELV). Our mission? To champion a truly circular #Automotive industry that balances #Innovation, #Sustainability, and #FairCompetition. Here’s what we advocated for: ✔ Clear definitions of #repair and #maintenance operators to empower independent actors across the value chain. ✔ Requirements for #VehicleManufacturers (VMs) to design vehicles, parts, and components -including #ElectricBatteries- so they can be reused, repaired, remanufactured, or recycled. ✔ Mandatory access to accurate #TechnicalInformation, specifications, tools, and software updates for all parts, including electric batteries, down to their smallest exchangeable units. ✔ Revisions to unjustified “irreparability criteria” in the draft ELV regulation to ensure vehicles are considered end-of-life only when genuinely irreparable. At FIGIEFA, we believe in fair competition and the vital role of the independent #AutomotiveAftermarket (IAM) in making the industry circular, accessible, and affordable. We call on European regulators to take bold steps to enshrine these principles in legislation, ensuring a robust and competitive automotive ecosystem for all. With its 500,000 operators and 4 million workers, the IAM is key to reducing waste, fostering innovation, and offering consumers sustainable choices. It’s time to align the ELV Regulation with Europe’s Green Deal and industrial goals! #RightToRepair #CircularEconomy #Sustainability #ELVRegulation European Commission Council of the European Union

The #Automotive aftermarket is experiencing a significant #DigitalTransformation. While buying parts online reaches new heights, customer experience remains the critical pain point. Consumers express growing frustration with compatibility issues and limited support in digital channels. 🚗 #Aftermarket players who can deliver a seamless online experience – from purchase to installation – will capture this expanding market. Success lies in addressing the basics: smooth user journeys, comprehensive, easy-to-navigate information and comprehensive customer support. 📌 💡 Ready to optimize your digital aftermarket strategy? Our latest #AutomotiveAftermarketPulse study shows you how: ➡️ https://lnkd.in/dguv2SiB #RolandBerger

The Full 2024 Annual Conference speaker line-up revealed! 🎤 This year’s event on 5th December at the DoubleTree by Hilton Milton Keynes brings top industry leaders to the stage. With the theme ‘The Everyday Leader,’ the conference explores how leadership at every level drives success in the automotive aftermarket. #IAAF2024

Looking ahead to the future of #Automotive repairs, a new trend emerges: More than half of repair shops globally are embracing sustainable #Parts, driven by evolving consumer preferences and regulatory shifts. 🚗 Remanufactured parts stand out as the sweet spot – offering both environmental benefits and cost efficiency. They represent a smart compromise between #Sustainability goals and market realities, especially given limited willingness to pay premiums for #GreenAlternatives. For aftermarket players, this signals a clear opportunity to reduce costs while improving the environmental impact. It’s time to rethink the future of auto repairs: Where sustainability meets practicality. 🌍 💡 Learn more about the future of sustainable automotive aftermarket in our #AutomotiveAftermarketPulse: 👉 https://lnkd.in/dguv2SiB #RolandBerger Daniel Rohrhirsch

We're ready to welcome participants to the 2nd edition of the FAAS #SustainabilityDay! Key players from the automotive #aftermarket sector are bringing discussions on the sustainable future of the aftermarket to #LifeCity in Stockholm for an event that is sure to give expert insights and a platform for shared learning. Event info incl. programme here: https://lnkd.in/dp8SBPaX #Sustainabilityday2024 #FAAS #Automotive #Innovation #Stockholm

GROUPAUTO International was one of our FIGIEFA Conference 2024 #DrivingMobility Platinum Sponsors, and we interviewed its President and CEO, Guenter Weber, and its Director of Workshop Networks & Technology, Robert Stevens. Take advantage of their insights on the most significant issues affecting the Independent Automotive Aftermarket (#IAM) in general and the parts distribution in particular, as well as their prediction for the near future! You can find more information about their work here: https://www.groupauto.com/ #RightToRepair #AutomotiveAftermarket

Did you know that over 280 million vehicles are on Europe’s roads, with 70% serviced by the Independent Automotive Aftermarket (IAM)? 🚗 The #IAM not just keeps our #Mobility and transportation safe and economical – it is also a crucial #Industry for Europe, built on four key pillars: 🔹 Automotive sector: It fulfills the promise of vehicle longevity for #Vehicle manufacturers and is a crucial profit pool for tier-1 suppliers. 🔹Industrial competitiveness: It ensures efficient and reliable #Transportation and saves Europe’s commercial fleets over 230 m hours of uptime per year.  🔹Society: By keeping vehicle #Repairs affordable, especially in rural areas, IAM helps sustain fair participation in labor opportunities and social activities.  🔹Sustainability: With a focus on repairs and remanufacturing, IAM promotes #Circularity, reducing waste and emissions as well as extending vehicle life cycles. 💡 Curious to learn more about IAM's pivotal role in Europe’s mobility future? Download the full report here: https://lnkd.in/eGcpC6yh   #RolandBerger  Daniel Rohrhirsch, Mathieu Bernard, Maximilian Wegner

"The #EU must urgently put in place equal access to vehicle-generated data, functions and resources for all market actors by delivering sector-spe­cific legislation that protects consumer choice and encourages real competition and investment in digital transformation and data-driven businesses." Don't miss our latest article on The Parliament's Committee Guide 2024, in which we explain why the European Commission’s long-promised plan for sector-specific legislation on access to in-vehicle data, functions, and resources is more necessary than ever and that there is no reason to wait, as the work is already done! Give #AccessToData for #DigitalMobility! AFCAR - Alliance for the Freedom of Car Repair in Europe #RightToRepair