Seven Years of Dieselgate: A Never-Ending Story

This BEUC report provides a comprehensive overview of the state of Dieselgate litigation across Europe seven years after the Volkswagen emissions scandal came to light.

The document reviews the enforcement failures at both national and EU levels, including the limited effectiveness of the Consumer Protection Cooperation (CPC) network and the procedural obstacles raised by Volkswagen, such as the invocation of the ne bis in idem principle to challenge multiple sanctions across Member States.

The report also details the ongoing collective redress actions initiated by BEUC member organisations in Italy, Spain, Portugal, Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, Austria, Luxembourg, Slovenia, France, and Switzerland. It highlights key rulings from the Court of Justice of the European Union confirming the illegality of defeat devices and strengthening consumers’ rights to compensation.

Finally, the report examines the future of consumer collective enforcement in light of the forthcoming implementation of the Representative Actions Directive (EU) 2020/1828 and the potential reform of the CPC Regulation, which could significantly reshape EU-wide consumer protection.

Seven years of Dieselgate – a never ending story.pdf

Scarica PDF • 365KB