On the 12th March, EDL members will meet in Rome mainly to discuss the Projects of Regulations and Guidelines published by the European Commission concerning the future of the distribution sector and in particular, the automobile sector. EDL has contributed providing its comments to the draft of "Automobile" Regulation and Guidelines which are published on the EC webpage.
The Commission has published a draft Regulation on the application of Article 101(3) of the Treaty to categories of vertical agreements and concerted practices ("Motor Vehicle Block Exemption Regulation") and draft Supplementary guidelines on vertical restraints in the motor vehicle sector and has invited all the stakeholders to provide comments.
http://ec.europa.eu/competition/sectors/motor_vehicles/ Draft Commission Regulation on the application of Article 101(3) of the Treaty to categories of vertical agreements and concerted practices in the motor vehicle sector Draft Commission Notice: Supplementary guidelines on vertical restraints in agreements for the sale and repair of motor vehicles and for the distribution of spare parts for motor vehiclesNext EDL meeting will be held in Cologne (Germany) on the 24th April 2009. During the meeting, the EDL members will discuss, among other issues, the financial crisis which is seriously affecting the European Automobile Sector
This article reveals the hope of the Opel-dealers to use hedge-fund-options hold by people with the economy know-how to save the potential of Opel onto the German market. Author: Prof. Dr. F. Christian Genzow.
Dealers are buying producers: Why not?- GER. version.The current situation of the Block Exemption Regulation 1400/2002 (BER) stands in direct dependence on the European Commission. The BER guards especially the customers but not the companies and so the contempt of the standards concerning the non-competition-clause is already unsure. Author: Prof. Dr. F. Christian Genzow.
BER: Commercial vehicles are at risk- GER. version.The publication of the presentation of the Committee of the European Commission in spring 2009 is marked by the fear about the provisions for the protection of dealers. The provisions are currently compassed whereas the market stagnates. The hope is focused on this publication of the committee in spring 2009. Author: Prof. Dr. F. Christian Genzow.
BER: Commercial vehicles are at risk- GER. version.Next EDL meeting will be held in Frankfurt (Germany) on the 23rd October 2008 coinciding with the First Automotive Franchised Dealer Congress organised by Deutsches Kraftfahrzeuggewerbe and sponsored, among other entities, by EDL. EDL will attend the Congress and its German member, Prof. Dr. Christian Genzow, will participate as speaker together with other experts on the automobile sector.
One of the main concerns which will be discussed is the legal framework for sales and service after 2010.
This Congress aims for creating the ideal platform so that the German franchised automobile dealers take a look at their situation and think about perspectives for the future and that the government as well as car manufacturers and importers are informed about the dealers’ requests, expectations and demands.
The Congress programme has top expert speakers, taking not only a closer look at the German car market but also beyond the borders of, for instance, the USA, Italy, Austria and, of course, Brussels, towards the EU Commission.
Prof. Dr. Christian Genzow, the German EDL member, will participate in the Panel Discussion: "Sales and Service after 2010 – Where are we heading to", together with other experts and the European Commission representative.
For further information, please go to the Congress webpage.
In the photograph, from left to right, Dr. Christian Genzow (German EDL member) with Dr.Stephan Simon (European Commission) , Prof. Dr. Jürgen Creutzig (CECRA Chaiman), Dr. Alexander Martinowsky, Prof. Dr. Willi Diez, Hubert Nieswandt, Michael Thiede.
www.kfzgewerbe.deOn the 14th August 2008 - G.D.A. has submitted its comments on the Commission Evaluation Report. GDA considers that the distribution and repair of vehicles in Europe can be seriously damaged due to the position taken by the European Commission which does not favor consumers either.
FRENCH version of GDA press release DUTCH version of GDA press releaseG.D.A. believes that the Commission should seriously reconsider the provisional tracks presented in its report if it does not want to put the automotive distribution and repair branch into trouble both for the consumers and the thousands of SME active in Belgium and Europe.
ENGLISH version of GDA Comments FRENCH version of GDA CommentsNext meeting of the EDL will be held in Brussels on the 13th June 2008. During this meeting, the EDL members will discuss, among other issues, the Evaluation Report on the Block Exemption Regulation (EC) nº 1400/2002 recently issued by the DG Competition (European Commission).
On the 28th May 2008 the DG Competition (European Commission) published the Evaluation Report on the operation of the Block Exemption Regulation (EC) Nº 1400/2002 concerning motor vehicle distribution and servicing so long waited for by the Automobile Sector.
Commission Evaluation Report on the operation of BER Nº 1400/200 More info.Next meeting of the EDL members will be held in Paris on the 24th and 25th April 2008.
The EDL next meeting will be held in Brussels on the 24th January 2008. The members will seize the opportunity to attend the press conference that the Belge association G.D.A. (Groupement des Distributeurs et Agents de Marques asbl) will be organizing on January 25, 2008 at the Brussels Motor Show.
After their meeting, the EDL members attended the Conferences of the Spanish Dealers Federation, FACONAUTO, where three of them, Mr. Christian Genzow, Mr. Christian Bourgeon and Mr Alfredo Briganty took part as lecturers.
Mr. Christian Genzow speech. Mr. Christian Bourgeon speech Mr. Alfredo Briganty speechThe Spanish Dealers Federation, FACONAUTO, is promoting a popular iniciative aiming that the Spanish Parliament approves a Distribution Contracts Law, which requires the support of at least 500,000 signatures of Spanish citizens.
Spanish Proposal for aDistribution Contracts Law