OLAF, the European Anti-Fraud Office, concluded an investigation a few days ago in which it says German car maker Volkswagen (VW) used a loan from the European Investment Bank (EIB) to develop the EA 189 engine that lay at the heart of the Dieselgate scandal, the German press on report on Monday 1 August.
OLAF believes that VW made fraudulent use of the €400 million EIB loan granted in 2009 to comply with new anti-pollution standards. The loan from the EIB made possible the development of the EA 189 engine that was able to cheat in real-life vehicle emissions tests.
According to OLAF, had the EIB been aware of the use to which the €400 million would be put, it would never have granted the loan to the German car manufacturer. The investigation was opened in November 2015, following revelations of the “diesel dupe” by Volkswagen (see EUROPE 11394).
The anti-fraud office has passed its conclusions to the Brunswick prosecutor to take the matter further. With the loan having been repaid in 2014, VW will not, however, owe any money whatsoever to the EIB. (Original version in French by Lucas Tripoteau)