29/05/2002 (Agence Europe) - Before the vote, in plenary on Thursday, on the Konrad report on competition policy and automobile distribution (see p.13), the European Consumers' Organisation (BEUC) calls on MEPs to support the Commission's proposal and to stand firm before pressure from industry. BEUC above all disapproves of certain amendments adopted in committee which aim to delay the implementation of the Commission's proposal and above all the location clause as well as those which, it states, would deprive multi-branding of any practical meaning and would bring into question the "softening" of the link between sales and services. BEUC also calls on MEPs to ensure that, on one hand, dealers are not forced to exhibit, sell or order the whole range of models from a car manufacturer and, on the other hand, that manufacturers will not be able to use on-board anti-theft or other technical devices to prevent repairs by independent repairers. "This is fundamental for consumers to be able to gain the long-awaited advantages of the reform", BEUC concludes.