The Dieselgate

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This book examines the legal implications of Dieselgate across various jurisdictions and at the EU, international, and comparative law levels. It analyzes the landmark 2016 US EPA-VW $14.7 billion settlement, one of the largest in environmental law history. The affair raises numerous issues related to corporate and social responsibility, tort and environmental liability, defective products, warranties, and false environmental claims. It discusses repurchasing or retrofitting cars and direct consumer payments through buy-backs and compensation. The book also highlights Dieselgate's impact on the push for more effective collective redress measures, such as class actions, in Germany, France, Italy, and the UK. Furthermore, it reviews the criminal charges Volkswagen faces in Germany, France, and Italy, including fraud and potential environmental crimes. It illustrates how Dieselgate has ignited debates about enterprise liability for organized crimes, compliance failures, and intentional legal violations in these countries. Lastly, the book explores the EU's response to Dieselgate, including the controversial EU Regulation No. 2016/646, which introduces a "temporary conformity factor" for NOx in the new RDE testing cycle, and the work of the EU committee investigating emissions measurements in the automotive sector.