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EU pressure on 7 Member States caught up in dieselgate is welcome

Published on 08.12.2016

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PRESS RELEASE - 08.12.2016

Today, the European Commission announced it would open infringement procedures against 7 Member States for their handling of the dieselgate scandal1. The countries targeted by the Commission have either failed to introduce penalties systems against car manufacturers for violating emissions limits or have not taken action against companies in light of evidence that they broke these emissions norms.

 

Monique Goyens, Director General of The European Consumer Organisation (BEUC), commented:

“This action by the Commission is good news for consumers. It is a strong rebuke of Germany and other countries’ inaction. These countries’ failure to act against cheating car manufacturers shows how one-sided the response has been on dieselgate – it’s been about protecting the industry at the expense of consumers.

“The Commission is clear: VW’s use of defeat devices broke EU law. We now need to see VW and other car makers fined for their disrespect of emission standards and for the harm this causes to people’s health.

“More must happen. These illegal practices and poor behaviour have harmed consumers and we expect car manufacturers to compensate consumers for the damage they suffered.”

 

1 Czech Republic, Germany, Greece, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Spain and the United Kingdom

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