VW lobbied to soften EU emissions tests
In 2014 a Volkswagen executive wrote to an EU committee developing real-world emissions testing protocols for 2017 to insist that two provisions be deleted.
Eu Commission
Germany in court again over "VW Law," could face fines of nearly $375,000/day
We haven't heard about the Volkswagen Law in a while, but that doesn't mean the EU Commission has forgotten about it. The law gives the state of Lower Saxony, with a 20.1-percent stake in VW, veto rights on a takeover deal, which means no one's ever going to take over VW because its home state won't allow it. The law came in handy when Porsche
Opel sale on hold, GM asked to have a word with EU Commission
The EU's Directorate-General for Competition (EUDGC) is looking at the Opel deal that should have been concluded already, and is asking questions of Germany and GM. Principally it is trying to resolve the issue of state aid; it was reported before that if Opel was purchased by Magna then the German government would provide financial assistance. However, if the bidder GM is said to h
You didn't think the battle for Opel was over, did you? Belgium reportedly asking EU to investigate
When GM decided to hand 55% of Opel to Magna, you didn't think the Belgians were just going to have some waffles and call it quits, did you? Oh no. Belgium's prime minister made a call to the EU president about the deal, and the EU Competition Commissioner Neelie Kroes told a Belgian newspaper, "If something happens against the rules, I will take action."
EU-sponsored report critical of electric vehicles?
The European Union has been working on new legislation with the goal of reducing overall carbon emissions to just 130 g/km by 2015. Many believe that electric vehicles are the best way to achieve this ultimate goal, but internal reports may not agree with this assessment, according to the Financial Times. In fact, Jean Syrota, the former French energy industry regulator, is
Commission ready to help Europe's car industry
As we all know, the auto industry is sometimes subsidized by Governments, especially in hard times like this. In the case of the EU, its Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso and Industry Commissioner Guenter Verheugen have announced that the European car industry would get help - if automakers produce clean cars. The European Automobile Manufacturers Association (ACEA) wants a €40 billion loan package to help it develop EU-required green technologies. ACEA claims that, without this help