European new passenger car registrations declined for the twelfth consecutive month in Europe, totaling 1,251,862 units in April, or 12.3% less than in the same month a year ago. Four months into 2009, the market decrease amounts to -15.9%. April counted on average one working day less across the region. Registrations were up +19.4% in Germany and down -90.8% in Iceland, -90.8%, -65.2% in Ireland and in -28.5% the UK.

The data has been published by the Brussels-based Association of European Automobile Manufacturers.

New registrations in Western Europe fell by 11.6% in April. Austria (+12.8%) and Germany (+19.4%) were the only countries to post growth, reflecting the impact of scrappage refund scemes, which have been part of economic stimulus programmes.

Other countries with incentive schemes in place, such as France (-7.1%), Italy (-7.5%) and Luxemburg (-8.5%) recorded a single-digit decrease, while other markets declined more severely. British and Spanish registrations fell by 24.0% and 45.6% respectively. Four months into the year, new car registrations in Western Europe dropped by 15.1%. Germany stood out as the only expanding market (+18.4%). Elsewhere, the downturn ranged from -4.8% (France) to -90.8% (Iceland). Looking at the major markets, Italy contracted by 16.3%, the UK by 28.5% and Spain by 43.7%.

The new EU Member States saw their results drop by 21.4% in April, with 83,430 new cars registered.

Poland (+2.4%), the Czech Republic (+19.0%) and Slovakia (+43.5%) posted growth while Hungary (-51.5%) and Romania (-51.8%) recorded a sharp downturn. Cumulative figures from January to April show the same trend of a general 26.3% contraction in the region. The same three markets expanded, with Slovakia at +0.3%, Poland at +1.6% and the Czech Republic +1.8%. All other markets performed less well than last year, including large ones such as Slovenia (-26.5%), Hungary (-35.4%) and Romania (-58.6%).

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