LIGHT commercial vehicle sales across Europe are on the increase – with sales up 4% compared to the same period last year. Performances in individual countries were mixed but sales in most major markets increased between January and October.

A spokesman for the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association, which produced the figures, said: ‘With the exception of Italy (-2.6%) and the UK (-0.9%), all the main markets contributed positively to this result, Spain (+16.2%), France (+3.6%) and Germany (+3.5%).

‘Increases in year-to-date registrations were also reported in a number of the smaller markets ranging from +26% in Denmark to 4.6% in Greece. In contrast, the Netherlands (-21.6%), Finland (-11.9%), Portugal (-2.3%) and Switzerland (0.9%) reported year-to-date drops.’

European LCV sales

Country		Jan-Oct 05		Jan-Oct 04		Variance
Austria		24,428		22,469		8.7%
Belgium		51,795		48,681		6.4%
Denmark		44,568		35,359		26.0%
Finland		12,931		14,679		-11.9%
France		347,012		334,924		3.6%
Germany		158,568		153,238		3.5%
Greece		19,425		18,571		4.6%
Ireland		35,500		28,786		23.3%
Italy**		173,836		178,415		-2.6%
Luxembourg		2,622		2,328		12.6%
Netherlands		60,186		76,792		-21.6%
Portugal		57,166		58,519		-2.3%
Spain		315,892		271,740		16.2%
Sweden		27,221		23,974		13.5%
UK		275,214		277,678		-0.9%
EU		1,606,364		1,546,153		3.9%
Iceland		1,705		1,367		24.7%
Norway		28,471		25,460		11.8%
Switzerland		17,887		18,007		-0.7%
Western Europe		1,654,427		1,590,987		4.0%

** Delivery figures