Lawmakers in the European Union have given their approval to revised and tougher draft regulations for new cars sold in the region.
In an effort to avoid something similar to the Volkswagen Group diesel emissions scandal, the rules look to address conflicts of interest between domestic manufacturers and national regulators.
Although the law still remains in its draft stage and needs to be finalized between the European Commission, member states and EU lawmakers, it proposes a system where carmakers will stop paying testing agencies directly in the hope of breaking the relationships between them. This means that in the future, nations of the European Union would have to fund emissions testing centers and could levy fees on automakers to do so, Automotive News reports.
The law would also stipulate that member states would need to test a minimum of 20 per cent of car models to have entered their respective markets in the previous 12 months. Additionally, they would have the power to enforce vehicle spot-checks and levy fines.
After Volkswagen AG’s diesel scandal, a European Parliament report recommended that an independent market agency like the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency should be created. However, the proposed rules do not include this.
H/T to GT!
PHOTO GALLERY
