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German carmakers reject refurbishments of old diesel cars in the core. Drivers of such cars, which are threatened with a driving ban in German cities, should exchange their older car with a discount for a low-emission new car. But not everyone can afford that
Even courts are already convinced that diesel driving bans in inner cities can be prevented only with retrofitting. The SPD is now increasing the pressure. She threatens VW, BMW and Co with up to 5000 € penalty per non-retrofitted vehicle. However, the responsible Federal Ministry of Transport does not want to follow suit.
The SPD wants to force car makers, if necessary, with fines for technical retrofitting of diesel cars. “The velvet gloves have since moved out,” said Parliamentary Group CEO Carsten Schneider on Wednesday. It was about implementing something that had been decided by the political leaders of the country.
Otherwise, fines would have to be imposed on companies that had demonstrably manipulated their vehicles. This could be up to 5000 euros per vehicle. That the manufacturers “make off the field”, the SPD will not accept. The threat of fines understood the SPD as a lever in the dispute over hardware retrofitting of older diesel vehicles in total – regardless of possible manipulation.
DPA
“Take off the gloves” – Carsten Schneider, parliamentary director of the SPD parliamentary group, wants to force the auto industry, if necessary, with fines for retrofitting older diesel vehicles. Whether this will withstand a judicial review, is another matter
The whole SPD parliamentary group stands behind this proposal, Schneider said. A formal decision, however, does not exist so far. Such fines could imply the Kraftfahrtbundesamt. For manufacturers, this could mean billions in payments.
Schneider said that Transport Minister Andreas Scheuer (CSU) and Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU) would be in a position to talk to Tacheles now and demand solutions from them for people who did not want to buy a new car. “The Minister of Transport should not act as the highest car salesman in this country, but as a lobbyist for those who bought diesel cars.”
“Does politics or industry wear the pants?”
Scouring should not put that on the back burner. “It’s all about the question of who actually wears the pants: Is that the industry or is it politics?” Political responsibility lies with Scheuer and Merkel.
The Federal Ministry of Transport, on the other hand, does not want to impose fines on car manufacturers for the time being. First, the completion of several criminal cases to be awaited, said a spokeswoman. According to her spokesman Steffen Seibert, Chancellor Angela Merkel also expects that the companies will “make the hardware retrofit kit available to the eligible diesel owners in the most affected cities”.
Last week’s coalition decision provided the first option for manufacturers to offer conversion programs for old diesel cars, which would offer a discount on the purchase of a low-emission new car. In addition, there should also be the option for hardware retrofits. But the carmakers reject that.
The situation was again on Tuesday by the Decision of the Administrative Court Berlin has been tightened, according to which there must be driving restrictions in certain streets of the capital to reduce the burden of diesel oxides by diesel vehicles.
rei / dpa / Reuters