Following the revelations and wider implications of the dieselgate emissions scandal, European organisations sent this open letter to the Presidents of the European Institutions calling for EU action to protect citizens from air pollution and the manipulative and fraudulent behaviour of carmakers.
The groups, including Friends of the Earth Europe, expressed their objections to recent decisions to more than double the emission limits for cars tested on the road and stated that Volkswagen, and very likely other companies, have intentionally misrepresented and manipulated data for years to undercut standards which were put in place to protect our health and the environment.
The European groups said: “This requires a fundamental rethink of the way in which European and national institutions, including the European Commission, legislate and enforce environmental, consumer and health standards, and engage with vested interests. Specifically, the EU must urgently improve its capacity to protect European citizens from air pollution and the fraudulent behaviour of companies, and reorient the better regulation agenda.”
The letter details the series of actions that the European organisations are calling for the EU institutions to undertake.