Auto importers, investigated by competition: Suspicions that they withdraw the car guarantee if the repairs that do not enter the guarantee are not made in authorized services and with original parts

The Competition Council announced on Tuesday that it has carried out unexpected inspections at the headquarters of the six car importers, in some investigations initiated ex officio. The authority has suspicions that certain contractual provisions could determine the owners to carry out the maintenance operations of the vehicles and certain works to repair them, which are not covered by the guarantee, only in the authorized network of importers and/or using only parts of origin, under the sanction of losing the vehicle guarantee.

The competition authority says that it has indications regarding the existence of understandings between the six car importers and the members of their authorized cargo and car reparators, agreements that have the ability to restrict the access of competitors (car repair units outside the authorized network and/or distributors of equivalent spare parts).

Thus, the Competition Council has suspicions that certain contractual provisions could determine the owners to carry out maintenance operations and certain works to repair them, which are not covered by the guarantee, only in the authorized network of importers and/or using only origin exchange parts, under the sanction of losing the vehicle guarantee.

“The guarantee of a vehicle should not be conditioned by the accomplishment of works that do not enter into the guarantee and which are paid by the owner only within the authorized networks or with the exclusive use of certain spare parts. Such a practice is harmful to competition and prejudice to the clients,” said Bogdan Chirițoiu, the president of the Competition Council.

The competition authority carried out unexpected inspections at the headquarters of six active car importers in Romania: BMW Romania SRL, Porsche Romania SRL, Mercedes-Benz Romania SRL, Hyundai Auto Romania SRL, Renault Commercial Roumanie SRL/Automobile SA and Euro Inter Trade Corporation SRL.

Inspectors are selling the brands of Audi, BMW, Cup, Dacia, EQ, Hyundai, Mercedes-Benz, Mini, Nissan, Renault, Seat, Skoda, Smart, Volkswagen and Volvo, which represents about 70% of the car park in Romania.

The unexpected inspections are authorized by the Bucharest Court of Appeal and are justified by the need to obtain all the information and documents necessary to clarify the possible analyzed anti -competitive practices. Making them does not represent a pre -pronunciation regarding the guilt of companies.

In case the Competition Council will find the violation of the competition rules, the companies involved risk fines of up to 10% of the turnover. However, companies that cooperate with the competition authority, within the clemency program, can obtain immunity to the fine or substantial reductions of the fines.

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