The main topics covered are pneumatics, robotics, programmable logic control, electricity and electronics, cost management, social skills, management techniques, bodywork, painting, and car industry-specific software.

Includes: products specifically for the cleaning and maintenance of transport equipment such as paints, chrome cleaners, sealing compounds and bodywork polishes; covers for motor cars, motor cycles, etc.

Preliminary ruling · Corte d'Appello di Torino (Court of Appeal, Turin), Italy · Interpretation of Article 27(1) of the Brussels Convention · Judgment, recognition of which is contrary to public policy in the State in which recognition is sought · Inclusion in the public policy of a Member State of rules of Community law · Scope of Articles 30 to 36 of the EC Treaty and/or Article 86 of the EC Treaty · Conflict between the intellectual property rights of a car manufacturer in the whole or component parts of a car's bodywork and the rights of a manufacturer of spare parts

The Commission will now continue its examination of the complaints against the car manufacturers with a view to establishing whether in these cases the exercise of exclusive rights in relation to body panels for cars has given rise to abusive behaviour contrary to Article 86.

The purpose of the investigations is to establish whether these practices of the car manufacturers constitute an abuse of dominant position contrary to Article 86 of the Treaty. In its judgments of 5 October 1988 the Court of Justice has now confirmed that the exercise by a car manufacturer of exclusive rights over protected body panels granted by national intellectual property legislation may in certain circumstances be contrary to Article 86.

The investigations in question arise from complaints received concerning the behaviour of certain car manufacturers relating to their use of national copyright and registered design rights to prevent independent suppliers from manufacturing and selling body panels for repair of cars.