Volkswagen Group brands have no plans to commit to SERMI

17 April 2026  

Unless you have been living under a rock, you will be well aware that the new SERMI scheme has officially gone live in the UK, something Aftermarket reported online on 1 April, as it came into play.

While the scheme had the backing of 22 manufacturers on the go-live date, we noted at the time that some brands were not supporting it, notably Volkswagen Group brands.

Having been in touch exclusively with a representative of the Volkswagen Group in the UK, Aftermarket can reveal that there are currently no plans for the group’s brands to join the scheme.

A spokesperson for the Volkswagen Group told Aftermarket magazine: “We would like to clarify that the introduction of SERMI in the UK is not mandatory for either vehicle manufacturers (OEMs) or independent operators. As SERMI’s launch in the UK is on a voluntary basis, it does not fall under any UK legislative framework.

“Volkswagen Group brands already operate a well-established, accessible and comprehensive process for qualifying operators and technicians to obtain the security-related information they require to carry out their business activities. At this time, Volkswagen Group brands have no plans to change the mechanism through which independent operators access this information.

 “Accordingly, SERMI accreditation will not replace or alter the existing access rights held by current users.”

 Key to this statement is that it reflects the Volkswagen Group’s position “at this time”, so there is scope for this decision to be reviewed. Indeed, there have been calls from within the industry for SERMI to be made mandatory, as it is in the EU, which would force the Group to change its position.

Of course, not all independent garages need to sign up to SERMI, notably those that are not involved in the repair of security-related systems. But those that do, and work exclusively with Volkswagen Group brands, will not need to make any changes – for the time being.