Since 23 September 2026, the first stage of a new EU regulation governing access to vehicle repair and maintenance data has taken effect. For independent workshops, this marks an important milestone – yet a recent European Commission survey shows just how wide the gap between brand-affiliated and independent garages still is.
What it’s about: Regulation (EU) 2026/699
Modern vehicles are increasingly rolling computers. Without access to manufacturers’ diagnostic, repair and maintenance data, independent workshops can no longer perform many tasks on current models – from fault diagnosis to control unit programming and the coding of new replacement parts. Regulation (EU) 2026/699 extends the existing type-approval rules with a multi-stage roadmap designed to change exactly that: vehicle manufacturers are being obliged, step by step, to open their diagnostic interfaces to independent providers of diagnostic equipment.
What already applies – and what’s still to come
Since 23 September 2026, vehicle manufacturers must provide diagnostic system providers with the information needed for technical communication with modern vehicles. For individual workshops, this becomes relevant once the makers of their own diagnostic equipment have actually integrated these new interfaces – a step that, according to industry associations, is likely to take some time.
The further roadmap looks like this:
- 23 December 2026: Interfaces for variant coding, spare-parts matching and control unit programming are due to become available.
- June 2027: Vehicle-specific repair and maintenance information is due to follow.
- June 2028: Full implementation of the rules, including the necessary software updates from manufacturers and equipment partners, is scheduled to be complete.
The numbers reveal a wide gap
Just how urgently the new rules were needed is shown by an accompanying European Commission survey: while 93 percent of brand-affiliated workshops say they can access the vehicle information they need, that share drops to roughly 50 percent among independent garages. In practice, this means many independent workshops face paid add-on access or technical limits on newer models – in some cases making certain repairs and maintenance work simply impossible.
The Baden-Württemberg motor trade association sums up the industry’s expectations: a right written into a regulation is not yet real access in the workshop. Manufacturers are being called on to provide transparent timelines, affordable pricing and fair competitive conditions for both independent and brand-affiliated businesses alike.
What this means for your workshop right now
Even though full implementation isn’t due until 2028, it’s worth looking at the new regulation already:
- Keep an eye on your diagnostic equipment provider: Ask your diagnostic tool manufacturer directly when the new, open interfaces will be integrated.
- Review existing data access agreements: If you currently pay for manufacturer access, it’s worth reassessing those contracts over the coming months in light of the new EU requirements.
- Mark the key deadlines: The 23 December 2026 milestone (variant coding, spare parts, control unit programming) directly affects many everyday workshop tasks.
- Stay informed: Industry associations are expected to clarify over the coming months which improvements are actually reaching workshops in practice.
Conclusion
The new EU regulation marks an important first step towards a more level playing field between independent and brand-affiliated workshops. It will likely take time before the improved data access is genuinely felt in practice – the industry itself is warning that an entitlement on paper still needs to become real access in the workshop. Independent businesses that want to remain competitive should keep the upcoming deadlines in view and start early conversations with their diagnostic equipment and software partners about how to make use of the new possibilities.
