European Parliament – Photo: Vin100_B (Flickr) CC BY SA
yesterday was fruitful in the european parliament, the plenary of the European Parliament has required the European Commission to take more seriously the enforcement of the emissions standards. This decision is not legally binding, but is a significant step forward.
The European Commission, even if implemented with the emission limits, it has no powers to ensure compliance. This organ of the community so ask your time to the Member States, and not only that, it has been proposed create a european authority that has powers to monitor such compliance.
The resolution was adopted yesterday by 493 votes, against 145 against and 25 abstentions. In such a resolution also has been convicted of any fraud committed by the automobile manufacturers. Not only there is research to Volkswagen, but to the whole of the industry, in search of more irregularities.
Level of compliance of CO2 emissions, almost all true, yes, under laboratory conditions
To date, some Member States have begun to investigate on their own, such as Germany, France or Spain; at a european level there is no such coordination, hence the proposal of a body pan. The European Parliament is calling for the imposition of sanctions manufacturers that have cheated and that they violate the environmental legislation.
Measures proposed by the european parliament to tackle the scandal
The regulations already exist, but it is necessary to monitor compliance. The usual procedure was to homologate the car in laboratories, where they could meet the limits, the problem is when these cars come to the street. The tests allow a lot of flexibility, and almost all the manufacturers are abusing it.
The european parliament stated “zero tolerance” against these practices, such as testing at the highest temperature, the electrical balance is not neutral or make alterations aerodynamic that there would be no cars on the street. These optimizations do not make but to increase the difference between consumption and real approved, in the order of 40%, according to the latest report from Transport & Environment.
Of the models tested, no one model is about the data of the approval, unless the Renault Twingo / smart forfour
The European Parliament also urges the European Commission to implement as soon as possible the new cycle of approval with road tests, and not only to monitor NOx emissions, and also CO2. This means that in addition to the contamination, that the discrepancies in consumption, then the CO2 is linked directly to that magnitude. In a first phase, the results will not be binding, but in 2017 they will be.
For those models that do not comply with the regulations, calls for the suspension of its marketing and call review. This movement, if made, would be several manufacturers in a situation of red alert, by the enormous costs that can result. As a minimum would be greater zeal in the performance in situations of real driving, not just in the laboratory.
it has Also been suggested the random review of a representative number of cars of a given model, and to subject them to independent tests. Not only that, it also calls for more supervision on the road, through ITV more severe. The scope for fraud is reduced considerably if you take all these measures.
the penalties for cheating will be substantial, but did not want the workers of the auto companies will pay for it. Instead, it is proposed to allocate the funds for compensation from profits and dividends to the shareholders. That way the manufacturers would not go into losses and would not have to lay off employees or make you Are.
could have gone further, with a parliamentary commission of inquiry. It was a request from the Group of The Greens, but has not had the sufficient number of support from the rest of meps.
The European Commission is the next that should move tab. Before 31 march 2016, this body must inform the Parliament of the state of the situation and their progress.
we’ll keep you informed…
–