EU Ministers have agreed on new draft rules for approving cars as a response to VW’s Dieselgate, giving the European Commission the power to fine cheating car companies directly.
The new rules, which still have to be discussed with the European Parliament before they become law, will allow more national authorities to review licenses for the whole European Union as well as revoke them.
Under the current system, national bodies such as Germany’s KBA, have the authority to clear or ban new vehicles for the EU region.
According to Reuters, European diplomats have said that Germany was reluctant hand greater surveillance powers to the European Commission, despite the recent VW Dieselgate scandal.
During the ministers’ meeting, German junior economy minister Matthias Machnig said that Germany is in favor of strengthening oversight but his country wants more assurances on how to avoid a conflict between different agencies.
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