Volkswagen rejects Commission compensation request

‘EU consumers deserve a fair treatment,’ Commissioner Věra Jourová said.

Volkswagen today refused a request from the European Commission that it compensate European customers whose cars were fitted with defeat devices to cheat on emissions tests, an EU source told POLITICO.

The request came during a meeting between Volkswagen CEO Matthias Müller and Justice Commissioner Věra Jourová.

“I insisted again that Volkswagen should offer a kind of bonus or compensation to its European customers,” said Jourová, adding “EU consumers deserve a fair treatment and Volkswagen should move on that point soon.”

Müller said that the two sides would again discuss the issue of compensation next month, the source said.

Although VW has agreed to pay compensation to car owners in the U.S., it has refused to do so in the EU, saying that just a quick fix is needed to bring its cars into compliance with EU emissions standards, which are laxer than those in the U.S.

“Volkswagen has delivered on some first steps to better inform customers and to make sure that affected cars are repaired in time,” Jourová said, adding Müller committed to informing the Commission regularly on the progress of car repairs.

Volkswagen installed defeat devices in 11 million diesel cars, 8.5 million of which were sold in Europe.