There has been growth in the number of authorised repairers under the current Block Exemption regulation (BER), however repairers have not used their entitlement to seek aftermarket parts from alternative sources.

That's one finding of the European Commission's evaluation report into the current Block Exemption.

It reports that consumers have benefitted from increased quality of service provision, as standards have risen in authorised and independent repairer sectors.

Repairers' parts choice has changed little, as purchase from more than one source would require duplication of logistics and increased IT costs.

The Commission notes that since vehicle manufacturers oblige authorised outlets to use carmaker branded parts for warranty repairs, the vehicle manufacturer is the natural source for all parts requirements.

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