Post by account_disabled on Mar 12, 2024 1:30:55 GMT -5
To reduce carbon emissions, German automakers BMW, Daimler and Volkswagen colluded between 2006 and 2014 to block the entry of better technologies.
For this reason, European Union antitrust regulators accused automakers of blocking the deployment of cleaner technologies in their vehicle engines, in a move that could attract large fines.
With the latest emissions scandal, the European Commission said it sent statements of objection to the companies to inform them of the allegations, almost two years after raids and inspections were carried out at their facilities.
The Commission said the collusion occurred between 2006 and 2014 and was carried out through technical meetings of the companies.
According to a statement from France Mobile Number List Margrethe Vestager, EU Competition Commissioner, “Daimler, VW and BMW could have violated free competition rules. “As a result, European consumers may have been left out of the opportunity to buy cars with the best technology available.”
«Companies can cooperate in many ways to improve the quality of their products. However, EU rules do not allow agreements to do exactly the opposite: improve their products, not compete on quality.
For its part, the EU specifically mentions selective catalytic systems that reduce harmful gas emissions in diesel passenger cars by injecting urea, also called AdBlue, into the gasoline stream.
He also said he is concerned about possible collusion in so-called “Otto” particulate filters, which reduce harmful particulate emissions from gases in oil-powered passenger cars.
Daimler, which alerted the regulator about the collusion, reiterated that it does not expect to be fined as a result of the investigation.
The pacts took place in a series of technical meetings called the "circle of five" and Brussels considers that their behavior was intended to limit the innovation of two emission reduction systems and denied consumers the opportunity to buy cleaner cars at despite the technology available.
Sending the statement of objections allows the affected companies to exercise their right to defence, but the European Commission could impose a fine of up to 10% of their global income if at the end of the process it confirms its initial suspicions. Specifically, the Community Executive accuses this group of companies of coordinating to worsen the effectiveness of selective catalytic reduction systems (SCR system) to reduce nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions. He also believes that they agreed to avoid or delay the introduction of particulate filters in gasoline engines (OPF system).
This is behavior that would violate European competition rules, despite the fact that it is not based on the usual practice of cartels of agreeing on prices or dividing up a certain market. The authorities have stressed that the sending of the statement of objections does not prejudge the final result of the investigation.
In July 2016, the community executive imposed a fine of 2.93 billion euros on four European truck manufacturers, accused of agreeing on sales prices for 14 years.
It should be noted that the investigation began three years after revelations in the United States that Volkswagen installed a device in millions of its diesel vehicles around the world to cheat on polluting emissions tests.
For this reason, European Union antitrust regulators accused automakers of blocking the deployment of cleaner technologies in their vehicle engines, in a move that could attract large fines.
With the latest emissions scandal, the European Commission said it sent statements of objection to the companies to inform them of the allegations, almost two years after raids and inspections were carried out at their facilities.
The Commission said the collusion occurred between 2006 and 2014 and was carried out through technical meetings of the companies.
According to a statement from France Mobile Number List Margrethe Vestager, EU Competition Commissioner, “Daimler, VW and BMW could have violated free competition rules. “As a result, European consumers may have been left out of the opportunity to buy cars with the best technology available.”
«Companies can cooperate in many ways to improve the quality of their products. However, EU rules do not allow agreements to do exactly the opposite: improve their products, not compete on quality.
For its part, the EU specifically mentions selective catalytic systems that reduce harmful gas emissions in diesel passenger cars by injecting urea, also called AdBlue, into the gasoline stream.
He also said he is concerned about possible collusion in so-called “Otto” particulate filters, which reduce harmful particulate emissions from gases in oil-powered passenger cars.
Daimler, which alerted the regulator about the collusion, reiterated that it does not expect to be fined as a result of the investigation.
The pacts took place in a series of technical meetings called the "circle of five" and Brussels considers that their behavior was intended to limit the innovation of two emission reduction systems and denied consumers the opportunity to buy cleaner cars at despite the technology available.
Sending the statement of objections allows the affected companies to exercise their right to defence, but the European Commission could impose a fine of up to 10% of their global income if at the end of the process it confirms its initial suspicions. Specifically, the Community Executive accuses this group of companies of coordinating to worsen the effectiveness of selective catalytic reduction systems (SCR system) to reduce nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions. He also believes that they agreed to avoid or delay the introduction of particulate filters in gasoline engines (OPF system).
This is behavior that would violate European competition rules, despite the fact that it is not based on the usual practice of cartels of agreeing on prices or dividing up a certain market. The authorities have stressed that the sending of the statement of objections does not prejudge the final result of the investigation.
In July 2016, the community executive imposed a fine of 2.93 billion euros on four European truck manufacturers, accused of agreeing on sales prices for 14 years.
It should be noted that the investigation began three years after revelations in the United States that Volkswagen installed a device in millions of its diesel vehicles around the world to cheat on polluting emissions tests.