Seven years ago, the Volkswagen Dieselgate fraud came to light. Since then, clear evidence has surfaced showing that, not only Volkswagen, but also an entire industry has equipped its vehicles with manipulation devices. The Court of Justice of the European Union has made it clear that such defeat devices are illegal and that the affected consumers are entitled to obtain compensation. Yet the number of European consumers who received or still have a chance of receiving compensation remains limited today. Due to the lack of collective redress procedures in many countries, only a few consumer organisations could go to court to demand justice for consumers. While these BEUC member organisations have continuously pursued their legal battles, their road to achieving compensation for consumers has been a bumpy one, paved with appeals and other procedural tricks leading to extensive delays. Consequently, even in countries where courts have ruled in favour of consumers, some time may still be needed before we can finally celebrate victory.

Nevertheless, significant developments are eagerly awaited in 2023. This report is a follow-up to our previous reports taking stock of BEUC members’ activities in the context of the Volkswagen Dieselgate.