As required by that Directive, the European Commission has conducted research on the question, which found that spare parts such as wings and bumpers were 6.4–10.3% more expensive in countries where these parts were protected by industrial design rights compared with countries where no such protection existed: it has proposed that the design right protection on these parts be abolished throughout the European Union.
As mandated by Directive, the European Commission conducted research on the issue of spare parts costs and found that design rights protection led to higher prices. The Commission proposes removing this protection from wings and bumpers throughout the EU.