Open letter from the Austrian sports retailer to Federal Minister Gewessler
Vienna (OTS) –
Dear Federal Minister Gewessler,
We – the Austrian sports retailer – are contacting you to once again point out an impractical and business-damaging regulation regarding the repair bonus. Under the current conditions, it is not possible for our customers to claim the repair bonus for e-bike repairs from their trusted sports retailer.
The cycling season begins in March with spring. Thousands of people in Austria will be bringing their e-bikes in for service in the coming weeks and months. In 95% of cases, the annual bicycle service involves repair work, such as changing the brake discs or brake pads, replacing the bicycle chain or adjusting the gears. If customers want to apply for the repair bonus at a sports retailer, this is not possible. Although e-bikes are eligible according to the repair bonus guidelines.
For more than a year we have been drawing the attention of those responsible in the BMK, the Ministry of Labor and Economic Affairs and the Austrian Economic Chamber to this bureaucratic no-go. Nothing has happened since then – the participation requirements have not been revised, although the entire repair bonus has received a “make-over”.
Having e-bikes regularly serviced and repaired is not only important for road safety. E-bikes are a central means of transport for the climate-neutral mobility transition (e.g. for commuters, e-cargo transport, population groups with physical or other limitations).
The staff at the sports retailer specializes in e-bike repairs. From March to October, thousands of specialized, trained technicians are on duty in sports retailers who deal with e-bike repairs every day. For this purpose, Austrian sports shops have invested hundreds of thousands of euros in recent years to build fully equipped, state-of-the-art workshops. This development is also important in order to be able to guarantee reliable and quick e-bike repairs. Bicycle retailers and bicycle workshops alone would not be able to meet demand without sports retailers. Without e-bike repairs in sports retailers, customers would have to wait weeks or months.
We therefore appeal to you again, Federal Minister Gewessler. We call on you to immediately stop this impractical and, above all, business-damaging regulation. Sports retailers must be able to register for the funding campaign without having to register an additional business. In the area of bicycle technology, all e-bike repairs must be possible, not just “simple repair work”.
We would also like to remind you of the guiding principle of the funding campaign. “Repair electrical devices. Save 50% of costs. Protect the environment.”. Don’t lose sight of the goal on which politics, business and society must work together.
Best regards
representative of all affected sports retailers,
Rainer Winninger, Intersport Winninger
Willfried Grundtner, Grundtner GmbH
Martin Tunst, Intersport Pilz
Michael Fischer, Intersport Fischer
Jens Kramny, Gigasport
Dr. Holger Schwarting, Sport 2000
Mag. Oliver Seda, Hervis
Thorsten Schmitz, Intersport Austria
dr. Michael Schineis, VSSÖ presidium spokesman
Christoph Bründl, Sport Bründl
Stefan Limbrunner, KTM
Hans-Jürgen Schoder, spokesman ARGE Fahrrad, CEO Thalinger & Lange
Questions & Contact:
Association of sporting goods manufacturers and sports retailers in Austria – VSSÖ
