EP demands answers on Volkswagen scandal

MEPs (members of the European Parliament) meeting in Strasbourg asked the European Commission (EC) Tuesday to shed light on the Volkswagen scandal.

A long and heated debate in plenary session centered on the question of whether the EC was aware of the practices of the German automaker.

While Volkswagen (VW), which is accused by American authorities of rigging the engine software in 11 million vehicles to allow them to pass stringent emissions tests, remains in turmoil, industry Commissioner Elzbieta Bienkowska was called on to clarify whether emission test manipulation also took place in Europe.

Many MEPs said in the debate that the ongoing scandal endangers the credibility of the whole car sector, and called on the EC to speed up the introduction of real drive emissions testing.

Bienkowska tried, without great success, to reassure MEPs from across the political spectrum.

"The Commission should recognize, just as the German government did, that the emissions tests were not effective," said Green MEP German Rebecca Harms before recalling that "Merkel had been dubbed relentlessly the 'Chancellor of the automobile'."

Voices were raised during the debate calling for the Commission to declare "whether or not, it was aware of cheating" and "why, despite several reports on anti-pollution tests, (the EC) had not commissioned its own survey".

"The EU has for too long turned a blind eye," commented Christine Revault Allonnes-Bonnefoy, rapporteur of the EP's Transport Committee. "The VW scandal coming to light reveals how the system is obsolete. Will the Commission finally consider the creation of an independent supervisory agency in this regard," she demanded.

The French socialist MEP had already claimed, in the aftermath of the scandal, that "VW lobbyists were going the wrong way" and that she had repeatedly asked the Commission about the issue. The EC, she added, considered it "premature" to impose immediate control measures in Europe and says it has no power of sanction, relying instead on individual EU member states to take action.

Greek Communist MEP Sotirios Zarianopoulos said the scandal showed that the testing system existed "to serve the (automotive) monopolies."

Other parliamentarians were also tough on the Commission asking openly whether the VW scandal was the tip of the iceberg. "How do you know whether VW is an isolated case as you state," Green member Pascal Durand asked of Commissioner Bienkowska.

"You have to fight against conflicts of interest and defend those of European citizens. One of the first actions to be taken is the creation of a European independent authority for emissions testing. It is about the health of 500 million consumers," he added.

Now known as "Diesel Gate", the affair has highlighted the limitations of pollution control testing by European car manufacturers and has taken on a political dimension across the EU.

While Chancellor Merkel is expected Wednesday in Strasbourg, some MEPs used the affair as an excuse to slam Germany for what they saw as its "preaching" to everyone else.

At the end of the debate, Bienkowska was also called on to answer parliamentary questions by the chairman who said he "would not settle for just reading a written text," emphasizing the necessity of providing specific answers to parliament's concerns.

EP political groups will prepare a resolution to be voted during the Oct. 26-29 plenary session in Strasbourg. Enditem