China Allows Dealerships to Carry Multiple Brands

China’s commerce ministry tells reporters that car dealers in the country will be allowed to handle more than one brand under new rules that will take effect on July 1, Reuters reports.

The ministry says the new system will prevent carmakers from unilaterally imposing stock levels and sales targets on dealers without their agreement. Over the past two years dealers of Audi, BMW, Hyundai and Kia vehicles have demanded an end to quotas they say drove many of them to near financial collapse.

The new regulations were adopted from a proposal issued more than a year ago. Reuters says the measures also contain new protections for dealers and their customers.