Established in 1993, ECAR is the European Campaign for the Freedom of the Automotive Parts and Repair Market, an alliance of 5 independent EU organisations representing vehicle parts producers and distributors, a large cross-section of SMEs as well as the interests of 285 million motoring consumers in the European Union.
ECAR’s objective is the establishment of a harmonised, free and real European Internal Market of automotive visible replacement parts: body panels; integrated lighting; automotive glass; rear-view mirrors etc. These parts are also called “must match” visible replacement parts. What distinguishes this category of spare parts from others is that the outside appearance of such spare parts, which is to be replaced in the course of a repair, must match the design of the original component exactly.