ACEA

Design protection is essential

Safety aspect

In 2007, the UK’s independent testing house MIRA carried out comparative tests on an original Ford Fiesta bonnet and various copies. MIRA concluded that “unless the copy bonnet has been developed and tested for pedestrian protection it is unlikely to offer the same levels of protection, as the original bonnet.”

Job losses in Europe

Scrapping design protection for visible spare parts could cost the European automotive industry up to 50,000 jobs and €2 billion a year. The two largest companies copying visible spare parts in Taiwan already have a turnover higher than the combined turnover of all independent body parts producers in Europe, and have taken steps to increase their presence in Europe. The United States, which have no design protection rules, show what could lie ahead; Asian body parts makers hold an 80% market share.

last updated 19/05/2009

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