The Right to Repair Campaign (R2RC) will present its petition against the proposed scrapping of Block Exemption Regulation to the European Union in November or December.

R2RC started collecting signatures in August but declined to say how many people had already signed.

A spokesman said: “There is not a target for the number of signatories. As many as possible across Eur-ope is the aim. We will present the petition to the EU in November or December, depending on the EU’s timetable.”

The R2RC was represented at September’s Auto-
mechanika trade show in Frankfurt, with many exhibitors collecting signatures from visitors to stalls.

It believes the European Commission’s evaluation report overlooked many of the advantages of Block Exemption to the independent aftermarket.

The spokesman said: “The report represents the view of only one part of the commission. There appears to be some support elsewhere in the commission for a less severe approach to BER renewal.”

He said the petition was being backed up by meetings with national competition authorities across Europe and by lobbying of MEPs. 

Figiefa, the international association for independent distributors which is leading R2RC in Brussels, is meeting the commission regularly.

Jonas Zambakides, the RMIF’s Independent Garage Association (IGA) chairman, said: “The industry is generally waking up to the idea that the scrapping of BER could be a reality. 

“I think the R2RC is helping the industry to find a common ground to start working from on this issue.”

The R2RC has developed marketing support packages which it hopes garages will purchase for £10 to raise funds for the campaign.

The packages can be ordered through motor factors and include posters, petition forms, stickers and a DVD.

It also urges garages to stay up to date with the campaign by visiting the website www.r2rc.co.uk.

Zambakides added: “All money from these packages will go back into the campaign. They will pay for the materials that have gone into the packages and also the £55,195 that Figiefa needs to take the campaign to the European Union.”