Volkswagen’s escape from justice

On July 10, 2024, significant legal proceedings took place at the European Court of Justice (ECJ) concerning diesel emission scandals involving major car manufacturers. Cases C-251/23 and C-308/23 against Mercedes and C-592/23 against Volkswagen (VW) were brought to Luxembourg.

Surprisingly, VW settled out of court just 48 hours before the hearing, compensating the plaintiff €65,000 for their Golf Sportsvan Lounge and letting the owner keep the car. This compensation is a lot higher than the cars value and it is more than anybody has ever received.

The European Commission has made clear that manipulating emissions testing through devices like NOx storage catalysts is illegal under EU regulations. Despite this, German civil justice has been slow and far from the EU law to enforce these rules. The ECJ is expected to hear further critical cases involving Mercedes later this year, potentially leading to more significant repercussions for the automotive industry.

For more insights, check out the full article on ORF.