Measures which prevent carmakers from restricting their original equipment suppliers from selling spare parts directly to the aftermarket have been effective in ensuring competition in the market, says the evaluation report into the current Block Exemption regulation.

A number of provisions of BER were aimed at ensuring that OES and matching quality spare part suppliers could have access to both independent and authorised repairers, in order to allow these latter to offer consumers a choice of spare parts.

"Overall, spare part suppliers seem to have maintained their position on the aftermarket, despite the fact that their main customers - the independent repairers - have lost market share," states the report.

The report will be discussed in detail at the AM/NFDA Autoretailing conference (click here to book) on June 5 in Birmingham.