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 Europe's biggest motor manufacturer admitted in September it had
rigged U.S. diesel emissions tests to mask the level of emissions of
health-harming nitrogen oxides.
In a growing scandal, the German company said on Tuesday it had also
understated the fuel consumption - and so carbon dioxide emissions -
of about 800,000 vehicles.
In a letter seen by Reuters, the Commission said it was not aware of
any irregularities concerning carbon dioxide values and was seeking
the support of EU governments "to find out how and why this could
happen".
It said it had already contacted Germany's Federal Motor Transport
Authority (KBA), which is responsible for approving the conformity
of new car types, and raised the issue with other national
authorities at a meeting late on Thursday in Brussels.
A Commission spokeswoman confirmed the letter, adding it asked
national governments "to widen their investigations to establish
potential breaches of EU law".
"Public trust is at stake. We need all the facts on the table and
rigorous enforcement of existing legislation," the spokeswoman said.
With vehicle testing in the EU overseen by national authorities, the
bloc's executive body, the Commission, is reliant on each country to
enforce rules.
This arrangement has come under fire from environmentalists because
on-road tests have consistently shown vehicles emitting more
pollutants than laboratory tests.
Car manufacturers are a powerful lobby group in the EU, as a major
source of jobs and exports.
In an open letter on Friday, a group of leading investors urged the
EU to toughen up testing of vehicle emissions to prevent a repeat of
the VW scandal and the resulting hit to its shareholders.
VW shares have plunged as much as a third in value since the crisis
broke in September.
EU countries struck a deal last week that would tighten emissions
rules, but still allow vehicles on the road to pollute more than
agreed limits for laboratory tests. The Commission is also working
on further reforms.
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The Commission's letter, dated Nov. 5 and signed by Industry
Commissioner Elzbieta Bienkowksa and Climate and Energy Commissioner
Miguel Arias Canete, asked for information by the end of this month
about "any evidence or information concerning possible
irregularities related to the certification of CO2 emissions
values".
"If relevant, how many of the vehicles that were newly registered in
your country in the calendar years 2012, 2013 and 2014 were possibly
affected," the letter asked.
After admitting to cheating U.S. diesel emissions tests, VW said the
so-called "defeat device" software used could be installed in up to
11 million vehicles worldwide.
Germany's KBA regulator has ordered recall of affected vehicles in
the EU, but can only verify the follow-up on German territory.
Representatives of national authorities told the closed door meeting
with the Commission late on Thursday that other member states had
started or would soon start to investigate the presence of defeat
devices, the Commission said in an emailed statement.
It has offered technical assistance, saying "it is imperative that
the technical investigation is based on common methodology".
The Commission can impose fines on manufacturers for breaking EU
emissions laws, but says its first priority is to establish the
facts.
(Editing by David Holmes and Mark Potter)
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