The European Commission and the national authorities of the Consumer Protection Cooperation (CPC) network announced on Tuesday 28 September that they have asked Volkswagen to propose ‘adequate solutions’ to consumers currently taking the carmaker to court and to end the legal proceedings.
This measure comes six years after the start of Dieselgate, the scandal relating to rigged engines.
Volkswagen is being asked to compensate all consumers in the EU, including those outside of Germany, for misleading them about the emission standards generated by their vehicles. An out-of-court settlement had already been reached in early 2020 with aggrieved German consumers (see EUROPE 12436/23).
The European Commission and national authorities say that the marketing of these diesel cars was a clear example of misleading practices that were prohibited in the EU.
“There have been court rulings exposing Volkswagen’s unfair treatment of consumers, and yet the car maker is not willing to work with consumer organisations to find appropriate solutions for consumers”, commented Commissioner for Justice, Didier Reynders.
The European Consumer Organisation (BEUC) notes that several of its member organisations started court actions against VW as soon as the Dieselgate scandal broke. “We expect Volkswagen to now quickly follow the authorities’ recommendation and to compensate all affected consumers across the EU”, said BEUC Director General Monique Goyens. (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)