MEPs regretted the large number of vehicles equipped with defeat software on the road in the EU following Dieselgate, during a debate on Wednesday 19 April. According to a study published by the International Council on Cleaner Transportation in March 2023, “suspect” levels of nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions were found in at least 77% of tests conducted on diesel vehicles in Europe (Euro 5 and Euro 6 standards). According to the organisation, this indicates “the likely use of a prohibited defeat device”.
Many MEPs recalled the figures of this study and questioned the European Commission on its actions to fight defeat software on vehicles.
“The automotive industry continues to use this illegal equipment. So I turn to the European Commission, what are you going to do about the 16 million vehicles with falsified software?”, asked Bas Eickhout (Greens/EFA, Dutch).
The European Commissioner for Social Affairs, Nicolas Schmit, recalled that the Commission had launched infringement proceedings against several Member States and that five out of six of these proceedings had been closed because the authorities had complied. The case involving Italy is still under evaluation, he added.
He also recalled that the EU was working towards the Euro 7 standard for vehicle emissions and that the Commission had published guidelines in February 2023 to identify the presence of defeat software. These help Member States to test vehicles and identify software.
In addition, several elected representatives mentioned the lack of compensation for consumers in the Dieselgate affair. “Nitrogen oxide emissions kill 64,000 people a year. When will manufacturers pay for this?”, asked Ciarán Cuffe (Greens/EFA, Irish).
The EPP also stressed the need for better testing of vehicles to avoid such scandals, but tried to put the importance of the debate into perspective: “Air quality in the EU has improved in recent years. The permitted nitrogen oxide thresholds are no longer exceeded. [...] Those who seek to make the debate more important should worry about the car industry and the jobs tied to it”, said Jens Gieseke (EPP, German). (Original version in French by Léa Marchal)