Ahead of the meeting of EU transport ministers next Tuesday, Socialists and Democrats today sent a letter to industry Commissioner, Elżbieta Bieńkowska, environment Commissioner, Karmenu Vella and transport Commissioner, Violeta Bulc and to all 28 EU Ministers calling for specific action to address the violation and weak implementation of EU law revealed by the Dieselgate inquiry in the European Parliament.
The Committee of Inquiry into Emission Measurements in the Automotive Sector (EMIS) in the European Parliament has learned that a number of car manufacturers are switching off essential parts of emissions control systems in vehicles under a broad range of normal operating conditions. Although EU legislation allows this in cases where it is necessary to protect the engine against damage or accident and to guarantee safe operation of the vehicle, evidence provided to the EMIS Committee has showed that, in these cases, these arguments are not justifiable from a technical point of view.
This is why Socialists and Democrats sent a letter today, co-signed by members of other political groups in the European Parliament, demanding the following:
First: the Ministers responsible for Type Approval Authorities and Market Surveillance Authorities must collect all necessary information from manufacturers, in particular on Exhaust Gas Recirculation systems (known as EGR, which should be only switched off by the need to avoid engine damage caused by condensation at low temperatures).
The initial results following the national investigations in France, Germany and the UK should form the basis of a wider testing and information collection exercise to assess what emission control strategies have been used by car manufacturers.
Second, the relevant EU regulations must be applied in a strict and harmonised manner across all member states, with a common approach on which design elements must be considered defeat devices. In cases where the rules have been breached, or where manufactures have failed to provide information, type approvals must be withdrawn immediately and penalties must be issued.
The letter was signed by MEP Seb Dance, who is the S&D coordinator for the EMIS committee; and coordinators Bas Eickhout (The Greens), Eleonora Evi (EFDD), Merja Kyllönen (GUE); vice-chair Kateřina Konečná (GUE), as well as the co-rapporteur in EMIS Gerben-Jan Gerbrandy (ALDE).
