Emission standards

A few days after the European Commission announced that car emissions will be reported in real terms, a team of the Spanish RSLab, which will remotely measure vehicle emissions temporarily and without the need to stop them, is coming to the capital. This was announced by the Sofia Municipality.

The German environment ministry has rejected calls from two of the country's states for tax incentives to promote the sale of low-emission modern diesel and electric cars.

German carmakers faced a brewing scandal on July 24 as suspicions grew they colluded illegally for decades, further damaging the industry's image and exposing it to massive financial risks.

The German transport ministry announced plans on June 27 to set up a new institute to test vehicle emissions to try to restore consumer confidence after the Volkswagen scandal.

The ministry said it would found a new testing institute involving the auto industry, ministries, consumer organizations and environmental groups.

The U.S. Justice Department plans to file a civil lawsuit against Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV over excess diesel emissions as early as this week if no agreement is reached with the Italian-American automaker, two sources briefed on the matter said on Wednesday.

The European Union began legal action on Thursday against Germany, Britain and five other member states for failing to police emissions test cheating by carmakers after the Volkswagen diesel scandal.

The European Investment Bank (EIB) has stopped loans to Volkswagen pending an investigation into whether some of its previous funding could have been used by the German carmaker to cheat diesel emissions tests.

European lawmakers approved on Dec. 17 a wide-ranging probe into the Volkswagen emissions scandal and allegations that EU regulators turned a blind eye to suspicious pollution testing of diesel cars.

Environment Minister Segolene Royal said Nov. 6 initial French tests had shown emissions cheating in Volkswagen group vehicles, but cars from other brands were in the clear.

EU Commission plans for more ambitious national caps on emissions of six key pollutants, including NOx, particulates and sulphur dioxide, were endorsed by Parliament. Air pollution causes about 400,000 premature deaths in the EU yearly, and the plans could save up to €40bn in air pollution costs by 2030.