Less dealers since new rules

08 September 2004: The decline in western European auto dealer sales and service outlets has sharply accelerated since new EU car retailing rules were adopted in 2002.

Since 2002, roughly one of every five car sales outlets — 17,260 — have disappeared, substantially more than the 14,773 that closed in the previous six years, according to the GMAP European Car Distribution Handbook published by HWB International in Warwick, England.

Similarly, since 2002, the number of service outlets dropped 11,901 or 11 percent compared to 10,222 or 9 percent from 1997 to 2002.

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