Brussels, 13 November 2025 – ADPA is welcomed by its peers in SERMI, the association in charge of managing a scheme for access to SEcurity related Repair and Maintenance Information (SERMI), which is mandated by European legislation and supervised by the European Commission.
AIRC, CECRA, FIA and FIGIEFA have approved ADPA joining them as a full member of the SERMI association as of the 1st of January 2026. ADPA, considering the central position of its Members for the provision of technical information in the aftermarket, and after having voluntarily provided its expertise for a seamless deployment of the SERMI scheme in the European Union, had applied for such a status to further strengthen its contribution to this important mechanism securing access to security related technical information.
As a full member, ADPA will further contribute to the continued development and governance of the SERMI scheme, which plays a vital role in ensuring that data publishers can securely access and handle information required for vehicle diagnostics, repair, and maintenance – particularly anti-theft information today, and likely additional sensitive information tomorrow.
APDA is looking forward to contribute to the work of SERMI, together with the other Members, to mitigate potential issues for the so-called “remote service suppliers” and their impact on their ability to provide complete technical information to independent workshops. It will also provide its support to SERMI long-term efforts to prevent potential misuses of the scheme, which could result in undue restrictions for the independent automotive aftermarket.
Michael Pedersen, ADPA President, said: “We firmly believe in the principle of “Nothing about us without us”. As the specialists of technical information in the automotive aftermarket, our membership to SERMI sends a strong signal to the market that we will pursue our commitment to enable workshops to access the complete, reliable and affordable information they need to perform their job, securing their customer basis.”
Jan-Willem van der Linden, Co-chair of SERMI, added: “We are stronger together. It was only logical for us to make SERMI even more representative of the sector by welcoming ADPA and its members, who are frontrunners in the publication of technical information, and who brought and will continue to bring their knowledge and expertise to the table to further strengthen the scheme.”
Pierre Thibaudat, ADPA Director General, concluded: “Thanks to the trust from SERMI Members, we are now in a better position to ensure that this well-intended instrument doesn’t become a tool for anti-competitive practices which are hurting consumers and the independent aftermarket alike, and make it the success story it deserves to be.”
Brussels, 11 December 2024 – ADPA General Assembly has appointed a new Board, representing the diversity of the publishers of technical information used for the servicing of vehicles and the maintaining of their safety and of their environmental performance, over their lifetime, in a reliable and affordable way.
ADPA Members have elected today the members of the Board of the association, who will be in charge of its daily operations for the next three years:
Michael Pedersen, ADPA President, commented: “I feel humbled twice. First, because ADPA Members have entrusted us with the conducting of our vibrant association for the next three years. By doing so, they confirmed our assessment and shared our vision on how the independent automotive aftermarket can contribute to the safety, sustainability and affordability of road mobility if not hinged by undue monopolies put in place by powerful market players. Second, because succeeding to Ralf Pelkmann, who has successfully accompanied and directed ADPA during near a decade is not an easy task. He has been instrumental in enabling our still young association to grow and to become a leading voice of the automotive aftermarket. He leaves us a sound and strong legacy upon which we can build to protect ever further our companies and our customers, and we are deeply grateful for this precious contribution over the last years.”
Matthew Wright, ADPA Vice-President, added: “This is the beginning of a new cycle for ADPA. With the new European Commission and the new European Parliament, the momentum is right to push for better legislation enabling consumers to choose the workshop of their choice to get their vehicles serviced. This imperative social need will remain a reality only if legislation ensures that these workshops and the value chain providing them with relevant inputs can access the increasingly complex and diverse technical information and data which are needed to service increasingly sophisticated vehicles and vehicles’ components.”
Frankfurt, 11 September. Thirty associations representing the multi-brand vehicle aftermarket in Australia, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, India, South Africa, the USA, and from almost twenty European countries, as well as European associations representing their sectors at European Union’s level, have gathered in Frankfurt during Automechanika 2024, for the Right to Repair Global meeting (R2RG).
Over the years, the R2RG meeting has increasingly become a crucial platform for dialogue and collaboration among the associations representing the multi-brand automotive aftermarket worldwide. More than just a gathering, this forum actively shapes the future of the industry. A central focus includes addressing common challenges, particularly those arising from unclear practices by vehicle manufacturers.
A significant challenge facing repairers, parts distributors, and suppliers is the need to maintain unrestricted access to Repair and Maintenance Information (RMI), technical information, and the freedom to use tools and spare parts. With the advent of digitalisation and the emergence of software-defined vehicle, new concerns have arisen, including access to in-vehicle generated data, the vehicle’s operational functions and resources, the growing absence of repair information for electric vehicle batteries, and the increasing issue of parts captivity.
In this context, vehicle manufacturers gain a competitive advantage by controlling the data generated by vehicles. This control impacts the volume and quality of information available to independent service providers, ultimately limiting digital opportunities for the businesses and restricting the freedom of choice for the consumers.
The participants agreed on the urgent need for a fair playing and robust legislative backing to address these challenges across various regions of the world. Effective enforcement measures are essential to ensure that vehicle manufacturers adhere more closely to automotive regulations.
Pierre Thibaudat, Director General, Automotive Data Publishers’ Association (ADPA), stated:
“Worldwide, consumers and businesses alike are facing the same challenges to fair competition in the automotive aftermarket, endangering the safety, the sustainability and the affordability of road mobility. A holistic approach and the exchange of good practices enabled by the Right to Repair Global Meeting are paramount to making sure that these legislative challenges transform into business opportunities benefiting society at large.”
ADPA calls upon the new Members of the European Parliament and of the European Commission to concretely improve the safety, sustainability and affordability of road mobility during their upcoming term.
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