Serious shortcomings from both EU Commission and Member States

The European Parliament committee set up to investigate the Dieselgate scandal has today (28 Feb) voted on its final report. The report makes clear that both the EU Commission and Member States should have acted on emission fraud sooner and makes recommendations for future action.

Commenting after the vote, Greens/EFA member of the inquiry committee Bas Eickhout said:

"This is a strong report that spares neither the Member States nor the European Commission in detailing their repeat failures. Both have been found guilty of shocking maladministration in allowing the Dieselgate scandal to happen. Having failed to monitor and enforce the ban on defeat devices, or to make sure vehicles were built to comply with emissions limits on the road and not just in the laboratory, Member States must now accept their responsibility for this scandal.

"We have also seen clear evidence that the Commission was repeatedly made aware of the likelihood of illegal activity, yet took no action to stop it. This amounts to maladministration in view of the Commission's obligations as guardian of the Treaties."

Vice-Chair of the inquiry committee Karima Delli added:

"It is important that the lessons of the Dieselgate scandal are learned and that both the European Commission and Member States take action to avoid any repetition of the multiple failures which allowed this to happen. But it is not enough to simply ask that national authorities or the Commission do better next time. Throughout the inquiry, we have seen consistent evidence of a responsibility vacuum and we are delighted to have successfully made the case for the creation of an independent agency at EU level. This would make sure cars on the road comply with EU legislation, and prevent a rerun of Dieselgate in the future. This issue concerns European citizens first and foremost, who have been victims of Dieselgate twice; from air pollution and by having their rights as consumers disregarded."