§ Mr. YeoTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how she intends to monitor the effect of the new EU block exemption regulations for the sale of motor vehicles that come into force on 1 October 2003. [92653]
§ Miss Melanie Johnson[holding answer 21 January 2003]The Department is in regular contact with businesses and representatives of the car retailing and servicing sector, and organisations representing the consumer interests, and will be working to ensure that if there is evidence that the new block exemption is being infringed, that evidence is brought to the attention of the relevant enforcement authority.
The regulation places responsibility on the Commission to monitor its operation on a regular basis, and to report in May 2008. From May 2004, the regulation will also be enforced in the UK by the Office of Fair Trading under the new modernisation of enforcement of European Union Competition rules.