More than 70,000 new vehicles and potential damages of several hundred million euros: companies and communities joined the French procedure opened against car manufacturers in the Dieselgate scandal on Thursday.
Two lawyers, Marc Barennes and Romain Boulet, announced to AFP their intention to present on Thursday afternoon at the public health center of the Paris judicial court a civil party constitution for more than 700 companies and more than 130 groups and administrations .
Among the structures that have decided to act are, according to lawyers, half a dozen companies (especially in the construction or telecommunications sectors) that wish to claim compensation for more than 5,000 vehicles.
70,000 vehicles
Several local authorities also participate, such as “a dozen departments” (Loire-Atlantique, Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, etc.), or even “cities” (La Rochelle, Béthune, etc.).
Initially, each new participant in the legal information linked to Dieselgate intends to establish itself for one or two affected vehicles, but the lawyers indicate that they have the mandate to request compensation for “more than 70,000 vehicles.”
According to Me Barennes, this approach “sends a very powerful message to the car manufacturers under investigation” in this case. “Companies and administrations “are determined to obtain fair compensation for vehicles for which they paid too much in relation to their real characteristics.”
“On the other hand, the council continues, they intend to fulfill their commitments in terms of social and environmental responsibility in the case of companies, and act specifically in the environmental interest and the health of all in the case of public communities.”
“In the rest of the EU and in the USA, numerous agreements have already been concluded, compensations have been ordered and even criminal sanctions have been imposed against Volkswagen. It is time that justice was also done for private and public companies in France,” added Yo Barennes.
Following the revelation in the United States in 2015 of this scandal called “Dieselgate”, several judicial investigations were opened in Paris starting in 2016.
Fraud Prevention Services (DGCCRF) mentioned in a 2017 report a “global strategy aimed at manufacturing fraudulent engines and then marketing them.”
Controversial facts
After several years of investigation in France, Volkswagen, Renault, Peugeot, Citroën and Fiat-Chrysler were accused between May and July 2021 in Paris of “deception regarding goods that pose a danger to the health of people or goods.” animals”.
The five manufacturers are accused of having equipped diesel vehicles with software capable of hiding polluting emissions during homologation tests. Once in circulation, polluting emissions could exceed authorized standards up to 40 times.
During their indictment, the manufacturers disputed the facts.
The most advanced case is that of Volkswagen: the investigation has ended and searches from the Paris prosecutor’s office are awaited.
The trial in Germany of the former Volkswagen CEO was interrupted for health reasons. In France, the company requests the annulment of its procedures on the grounds that they overlap with those on the other side of the Rhine.
In this phase, according to elements of the French files of which the AFP is aware, between 1,500 and 2,000 civil parties would be formed, mainly individuals with a single vehicle, several associations and SMEs.
Several hundred million euros in compensation
The new arrival of this wave of plaintiffs could increase the final amount owed by manufacturers in compensation in the event of a criminal conviction.
Me Barennes mentions the amounts obtained abroad, between 1,350 and 6,250 euros in Germany for each of the 200,000 Volkswagen vehicles compensated, up to 4,440 euros per vehicle in the Netherlands.
These are “relevant indicators of the amounts claimable in France”, according to him, which could amount to several hundred million euros in the event of a conviction.
Originality: the action, initiated at the beginning of 2023, is not paid by the companies but financed by a litigating company that is remunerated on the compensation finally obtained, if applicable.
Source: BFM TV
