From 2023, car manufacturers will no longer be the only ones able to market visible spareparts. Such as fenders, hood, bumpers, windshields or mirrors of a car. The Climate Law will allow equipment manufacturers to gradually compete with them.
Édouard Philippe had promised it in 2019. The Competition Authority has been waiting for it since 2012. From January 1, 2023, the market for certain automotive spare parts will open up to competition. A breakthrough that was made possible by article 32 of the climate-resilience law , adopted on July 20 by Parliament.
Almost ten years ago already, the Autorité de la concurrence recommended “to lift, in a progressive and controlled manner, the monopoly held by manufacturers on visible spare parts”. In other words the fenders, bonnet, guard. shock, windshield or mirrors. In France, these parts are protected in France “under the right of designs and models and copyright”. Consequence: only car manufacturers can distribute parts to repairers.
A reduced cost “from 6 to 15%”
A monopoly denounced in 2004 by the European Parliament in a European directive. Which is already no longer relevant to some of our European neighbors. The Competition Authority estimated in a 2012 opinion that its gradual lifting in France should ultimately result in a drop in the prices of visible spare parts “from 6 to 15%”. The independent institution also considered that this measure would allow “a more efficient functioning of the sector”.
It took time, but the French spare parts market will partially open up. Article 36 of the climate-resilience law provides that from January 1, 2023, “all equipment manufacturers, whether original equipment (that is to say having manufactured the glazing for new vehicles) or independent, will have the opportunity to market the glazing parts “.
In the public domain after 10 years against 25
“For all other visible spare parts”, the equipment manufacturers who manufactured the original part “will also have the opportunity to market, alongside the manufacturers”, rejoices the Competition Authority. In addition, all equipment manufacturers will be able to produce and market these parts at the end of a period of 10 years from the registration of the design or model of the part. Against 25 years today. In other words, designs will fall more quickly into the public domain.
As a reminder, the climate-resilience law was inspired by the work of the Citizen’s Climate Convention (CCC). It should allow France to “move towards the objective of -40%” of greenhouse gas emissions by 2030. But many believe that the account is not there, the group of climate experts of the UN, the IPCC, underlines in its latest report that the climate is changing faster than expected because of human activities.