Counterfeit spare parts create a serious safety risk in service and warranty processes.
Implementation
An invisible signature is worked into the part packaging; the service team verifies the part before fitting it.
Counterfeit automotive spare parts are a direct road-safety matter. Brake pads, filters, bearings, tyres and batteries may look like the original from the outside, yet differences in material and manufacturing quality can lead to failure — even an accident — within a short time. The mechanic fitting the part, or the vehicle owner, usually has to rely on how the box and the label look; this makes packaging imitation attractive to counterfeiters and clears the way for a fake part to be fitted to a vehicle unnoticed.
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Data
Annual sales lost by the legitimate tyre sector in the EU to counterfeits (7.5% of sales)
Source: EUIPO, The Economic Cost of IPR Infringement in the Tyres and Batteries Sectors, 2018Annual sales lost by the legitimate battery sector in the EU to counterfeits (1.8% of sales)
Source: EUIPO, The Economic Cost of IPR Infringement in the Tyres and Batteries Sectors, 2018Risks
In braking, steering and suspension parts, a counterfeit directly affects whether the vehicle can be used safely. When a failure occurs and the part's origin cannot be established, determining liability and collecting other parts from the same batch becomes difficult.
Counterfeiters can copy the boxes and labels of known brands one to one, or collect original packaging and reuse it. When a mechanic cannot verify a part from its box, a counterfeit can be fitted to a vehicle unnoticed.
Parts change hands many times between distributors, sub-dealers and workshops. A counterfeit can enter the chain at a link where no records are kept, and finding out later where it entered becomes difficult.
On marketplaces and social media, branded parts can be offered noticeably below market price. Because these listings use the brand's catalogue images and part numbers, they can mislead buyers.
Regulation
The European Commission has extended the block exemption applying to vertical agreements in the automotive sector until 31 May 2028; the updated guidelines stress that authorised and independent repairers must be able to access vehicle data on equal terms. The presence of so many actors in the repair market makes being able to verify a part's origin even more important.
The communiqué defines an original spare part as one of the same quality as those used in vehicle assembly and manufactured to the vehicle manufacturer's technical specifications and production standards. Where the parts manufacturer certifies this quality, the part is presumed to be an original spare part until the contrary is proven; this makes a verifiable link between the part and its certification important.
From 18 February 2027, every electric vehicle battery placed on the market will have an electronic record — a battery passport — holding information specific to the battery model and to the individual battery, accessible via a QR code. Unique product identity and chain-of-custody records can support this preparation.
The law, in force since 12 March 2021, requires actors in the supply chain to keep records of whom they bought a product from and whom they sold it to, and makes the recall of unsafe products mandatory. Batch-level distribution records make it easier to find where affected parts are when a recall is needed.
This section is for information only; official sources prevail for current obligations.
FAQ
Yes. Verification is done with the mobile app on a smartphone; authorised and independent workshops, dealers and vehicle owners can all use the same method. No separate reader device or special authorisation is needed.
Batch-level numbering may be preferred for high-volume consumable parts, and unit-level numbering for safety-critical or high-value parts. A batch number makes it easier to see which dealers and workshops parts from the same batch reached if a problem arises.
Meeting request
The first meeting reviews your product, sales channels and the risks you face, and recommends a suitable method.
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