European Commission: Need Full Picture of How Many Vehicles Have 'Defeat Devices' for Emissions Test

By Gabriele Steinhauser

BRUSSELS--The European Union's executive arm on Thursday called on the bloc's governments to carry out investigations on how many cars have been fitted with so-called "defeat devices" for emissions tests.

The statement from the European Commission comes in the wake of revelations that German car maker Volkswagen AG installed software on some 11 million diesel cars that made them appear less polluting during emissions tests.

"We need to have a full picture of how many vehicles certified in the EU were fitted with defeat devices," the commission said, adding that such devices were illegal under EU law.

The commission also urged governments to "swiftly agree" on measures that ensure that new vehicle types aren't approved in the 28-country bloc without having undergone emission tests "in real driving conditions and (that) cannot be fooled by deceitful applications."

"Our message is clear: zero tolerance on fraud and rigorous compliance with EU rules. We need full disclosure and robust pollutant emissions tests in place," Elżbieta Bieńkowska, the EU's commissioner for the internal market and industry, said.

The commission also said it has asked for the issue to be discussed by national economy and industry ministers at their next meeting on Oct. 1.

Write to Gabriele Steinhauser at [e-mail]

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September 24, 2015 11:55 ET (15:55 GMT)

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