UEIL submits views on the evaluation of Regulation 2018/858
10/11/2026
UEIL has submitted its response and position paper to the European Commission’s evaluation of Regulation 2018/858 – the EU Type Approval Regulation – with a particular focus on access to vehicle repair and maintenance information (RMI).
UEIL strongly supports the Regulation’s provisions granting independent operators access to RMI. However, despite existing requirements and clarifications from the European Commission, independent lubricant manufacturers continue to face systemic barriers to obtaining essential technical information from vehicle manufacturers.
UEIL’s key requests and recommendations include:
- The Regulation should require vehicle manufacturers to provide independent operators with the full technical specifications of fluids needed for vehicle maintenance, including lubricants, brake fluids, and coolants.
- The Regulation should ensure that the development of fluids meeting OEM specifications is not hindered by unavailable technical information, inaccessible testing requirements, or the lack of timely access to designated laboratories and service providers.
- Member States should fully implement and enforce the provisions of the Regulation, including by ensuring that national Type Approval Authorities carry out the required compliance audits and take appropriate action against non-compliant vehicle manufacturers.
- The European Commission should issue detailed guidelines to Member States clarifying the applicable rules on access to RMI and the importance of their effective enforcement.
Complete, fair, and timely access to RMI is essential to safeguarding competition in the automotive aftermarket and ensuring consumer choice and to enable independent lubricant manufacturers, particularly SMEs, to compete on a level playing field.
For more information, please consult the UEIL Position Paper on the evaluation of Regulation 2018/858 below.
