The European Parliament’s committee of inquiry into emission measurements in the automotive sector (EMIS) continued its work on Thursday 20 October when Alexander Dobrindt, German Federal Transport Minister, and Olaf Lies, Minister of Economy, Labour and Transport of the German federal state of Lower Saxony, appeared before it.
Dobrindt set out for MEPs the measures that have been taken by the German authorities since the Volkswagen affair erupted in September 2015 (see EUROPE 11394): the Transport Ministry has set up a committee of inquiry tasked with checking whether Volkswagen and other diesel engine car manufacturers complied with emissions limits. Volkswagen has also recalled more than 2.4 million vehicles for engine inspections and refits. Some 630,000 vehicles made by other manufacturers are to be recalled to tweak diesel engine software technology.
Dobrindt argued, too, that European legislation should be clearer on possible derogations with regard to defeat devices. These derogations should be authorised only in rare and very specific cases “in which the manufacturer successfully proves that no other technology can protect the engine”.
Emissions testing in vehicle approval needs to be more realistic and checks on vehicles already on the roads must be tougher. Lies explained the importance of Volkswagen to Lower Saxony, where it is the largest employer and a strategic partner. He also stated that an in-depth investigation had been launched in September 2015, the results of which should be published before the end of the year. It is only by making as full and explanatory a report as possible where nothing is off-limits that people’s confidence can be won back, he stressed.
Both German ministers rejected any possibility of general compensation for Volkswagen vehicle owners in Europe. The Commission has called on VW to do more in this area (see other article). The EMIS committee is next scheduled to meet in Brussels on 7 and 8 November. (Original version in French by Thomas Régnier)