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Law
Competition Policy

Legislation (Motor vehicles)

The activities of the Commission's competition department in the antitrust field involve the application of Articles 101, 102 and 106 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union ("TFEU").

Vertical agreements in the motor vehicle sector may also benefit from "block exemption". This is a safe harbour that exempts a whole category of motor vehicle distribution and repair agreements from the prohibition laid down in Article 101(1) TFEU.

Agreements can benefit from block exemption under Commission Regulation 2022/720 or Commission Regulation 461/2010 so long as they do not contain any serious restrictions of competition and also meet the other conditions laid down by the relevant Regulation. One of the tasks of the competition department is to monitor the application of these rules. It does so in close liaison with the competition authorities of the Member States.

Review of the MVBER

Review of the Motor Vehicle Block Exemption Regulation

Block Exemption Regulations

  • Commission Regulation 2022/720 of 10 May 2022 on the application of Article 101(3) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union to categories of vertical agreements and concerted practices (VBER). This Regulation entered into force on 1 June 2022.
  • Commission Regulation 461/2010 of 27 May 2010 on the application of Article 101(3) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union to categories of vertical agreements and concerted practices in the motor vehicle sector, as amended by Regulation 2023/822 of 17 April 2023.

    Corrigendum to the Finnish version  of Commission Regulation 461/2010 (Official Journal C301 of 18.11.2010, p.20)
    Corrigendum to the Italian version  of Commission Regulation 461/2010 (Official Journal L148 of 07.06.2011, p.20)

Commission Guidelines

Frequently asked questions

Frequently asked questions on the application of EU antitrust rules in the motor vehicle sector (27.08.2012).

The FAQs are available in bg cs da de el en es et fi fr hu it lt lv mt nl pl pt ro sk sl sv.

Other legal texts

Other legal texts useful for assessing vertical agreements in the motor vehicles sector