EU wins powers on new cars after VW diesel scandal

Brussels, Dec 7 (AFP) The EU gained new powers today tospot-check vehicles and fine automakers under tougher rulesagreed after the Volkswagen emiss...

Brussels, Dec 7 (AFP) The EU gained new powers today tospot-check vehicles and fine automakers under tougher rulesagreed after the Volkswagen emissions cheating scandal.

The European Commission, the European Parliament and the28 member states of the European Council said they reachedagreement to tighten the rules "for safer and cleaner cars"following nearly two years of negotiations.

"I welcome that the key elements of our proposal havebeen upheld, including real EU oversight and enforcementpowers," said Elzbieta Bienkowska, the European commissionerfor industry.

"In the future, the commission will be able to carry outchecks on cars, trigger EU-wide recalls, and impose fines ofup to 30,000 euros per car when the law is broken," Bienkowskasaid in a statement.

The so-called Dieselgate scandal blew open whenVolkswagen admitted in September 2015 that it installedsoftware devices in 11 milion diesel-engine cars worldwidethat reduced emissions of harmful nitrogen oxides when itdetected the vehicle was undergoing tests.

Under the new rules that must be formally approved by theEuropean Parliament and member states, technical services willbe regularly and independently audited to obtain and maintaintheir designation by a member state for testing and inspectingnew car models.

It gives the commission and other member countries theauthority to challenge a designation.

The commission will be able to audit national type-approval authorities to ensure rules are implemented andenforced across the bloc.

Under the new rules, member states will have to carry outregular spot-checks on vehicles on their markets and make theresults public.

Member states will now be able to act immediately againstnon-compliant vehicles on their territory, Currently, theauthority that issued the type approval must first takeaction. (AFP)NSA.

This is unedited, unformatted feed from the Press Trust of India wire.

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