MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 08th July, 2021) Volkswagen Group will review and potentially appeal a European Commission ruling issued today that handed the German automobile manufacturer a 502 million euro ($594 million) fine for breaching antitrust rules on technical development, the company said in a statement obtained by Sputnik.
Earlier in the day, the commission announced that five car manufacturers (Daimler, BMW, Volkswagen, Audi, Porsche) had agreed to a settlement, after the EU alleged that the firms colluded to avoid competing on technology that would help reduce emissions. The firms were fined a combined $1 billion.
"VW will carefully review today's decision once served and then decide whether to appeal, if necessary. The latter would be possible until mid-September by bringing actions before the European Court in Luxembourg," the statement read.
The European Commission accused the five car firms of exchanging information on AdBlue tanks, which neutralize emissions from diesel engines, and deliberately limiting their effectiveness and preventing the introduction of new technology between 2009 and 2014.
Volkswagen Group said that the European Union's decision was a landmark one, adding that no customers were harmed as a result of the so-called cartel's conduct.
"The Commission is breaking new legal ground with this decision, because it is the first time it has prosecuted technical cooperation as an antitrust violation. It is also imposing fines even though the contents of the talks were never implemented and customers were therefore never harmed," Volkswagen Group said.
Daimler escaped a 727 million euro fine by revealing the existence of the "cartel" to the European Union, the bloc said in a statement.
In 2015, Volkswagen was caught cheating on diesel emissions tests for its vehicles. The company said in 2020 that it has paid an estimated $35 billion in fines to settle the dispute.
