Censored twice by the Constitutional Council because of “legislative rider”, the law establishing the opening to competition of the sale of automotive spare parts is definitely on track. A bill has been tabled to this effect by the LREM deputy for Sarthe Damien Pichereau, and on behalf of the entire parliamentary group En Marche. The text will arrive in committee in May, then in plenary session the following month.
Already promised by former Prime Minister Edouard Philippe in 2019, the text aims to end the stranglehold of car manufacturers in this market. “Technically, OEMs have the right to sell auto parts. Except that to get supplies, they have to go through the manufacturers by paying a heavy fee, underlines Damien Pichereau. It is therefore de facto impossible for them to supply cheaper parts. ”
A long-standing claim from insurers
To curb this de facto monopoly situation, the majority parliamentarians intend to put an end to the design rights and copyrights that accompany the making of hoods, mirrors, bumpers and other windshields. All these parts could then be designed and then marketed royalty-free by any automotive supplier, such as Valeo. The latter will thus be able to sell its headlights freely. The text goes even further, since after 10 years, all models of parts would fall into the public domain. “This will allow garages to feed themselves more easily,” said the parliamentarian, also a former automotive salesperson. The parliamentarian hopes an application of the measure – if it is voted – by 2023
For motorists, the benefit will be twofold. Not only will they benefit from a direct and drastic drop in repair prices – estimated at 34% according to the UFC-Que Choisir -, but they could also see a lull in the prices of their car coverage.
The opening of the market has been a long-standing demand of insurers and mutuals. The President of the French Insurance Federation (FFA), Florence Lustman, again recalled on March 24 the high inflation in the price of spare parts, the main reason for the increases in auto insurance premiums according to her. The data from Safety and Automobile Repair (SRA), an organization dependent on the FFA, bear witness to this. After an increase of 6% between 2018 and 2019, their price rose by 4.4% between 2019 and 2020. Taking into account the evolution of the French fleet – and in particular the significant rise of very expensive SUVs -, these proportions rise to 7.8% and 5.8%.
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The stake is therefore major for insurers. While the on-board electronics of construction parts – especially in very expensive SUVs – is still more developed and the cost of labor is also constantly increasing, lowering repair costs would, in turn, drop. amounts reimbursed to motorists. Parliamentarians hope to curb the inflationary spiral of contributions – up 12% since 2015 according to data from comparator Le Lynx.
Fight against uninsurance
The other instrument on which the majority rely to lower the prices of auto contracts is the fight against uninsured. The parliamentary group intends to make the verification of the insurance certificate compulsory during the technical inspection. In his absence, the motorist would simply not be able to pass his control. “Many motorists, through recklessness, negligence or a desire to reduce their automobile budget, avoid this obligation”, regret the deputies.
However, it is the motorists who compensate, via their insurance contribution, the victims of accidents for which the person responsible is not insured. The organization which collects these sums, the Guarantee Fund for Compulsory Insurance (FGAO), judges that 2% of motorists – or 800,000 people – drive without coverage. In 2019, 116 million euros were disbursed, an increase of 30% in 5 years. Almost 80% of this windfall comes from the 1.2% levy applied to all insurance contracts. “Our goal is to go below 90 million. A report will be submitted two years after the application of this law to measure the results. If they are positive, they could lead the FGAO to reduce its revenues ”concludes Damien Pichereau.
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