A PYMNTS Company

EU: Regulator plans big fines against German carmakers

By  |  March 10, 2019

European antitrust authorities plan to fine carmakers Daimler BMW and VW up to 1 billion euros ($1.1 bln) each for colluding on reducing the effectiveness of exhaust filtering systems, German weekly Der Spiegel said.

    Get the Full Story

    Complete the form to unlock this article and enjoy unlimited free access to all PYMNTS content — no additional logins required.

    yesSubscribe to our daily newsletter, PYMNTS Today.

    By completing this form, you agree to receive marketing communications from PYMNTS and to the sharing of your information with our sponsor, if applicable, in accordance with our Privacy Policy and Terms and Conditions.

    The German carmakers collaborated to reduce the size of so-called Adblue tanks which help to reduce harmful nitrogen oxide emissions, and agreed not to include filters on gasoline engine vehicles to reduce fine particulate matter, Der Spiegel said.

    Daimler told Reuters it is cooperating with the European authorities and has applied for the status of a cooperating witness in the proceedings. Volkswagen said it is cooperating with authorities.

    Strategic cooperation among German carmakers is not unusual, but companies found guilty of breaching EU cartel rules face fines of as much as 10 percent of their global revenues.

    Full Content: Reuters

    Want more news? Subscribe to CPI’s free daily newsletter for more headlines and updates on antitrust developments around the world.