Baden-Württemberg to sue Volkswagen

The claim follows a scandal over the company's understating harmful diesel emissions

The German carmaker Volkswagen (VW) is once again having problems over rigging its diesel emissions tests, which came to light in 2015.

By the end of this year, the German state of Baden-Württemberg intends to file a lawsuit for environmental damage against the company, reports Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (FAZ).

Many German ministries, as well as the police, use rented Volkswagen, Audi, Skoda and Seat car makes, manufactured by the Concern. For this reason, the Baden-Württemberg Ministry of Finance has decided to take legal action. The Ministry’s spokeswoman said that it was the organization’s ‘budgetary duty’ to sue for environmental damage. The Ministry sought to settle with VW, but no deal was reached, so the body run by the German Greens intends to claim damages in a court of law.

A VW spokesperson stated that they could not comment on the Ministry’s actions as no formal clams had been presented so far. The company’s spokespersons also believe that a claim for damages is without merit as all vehicles were safe and roadworthy while the software monitoring the engine harmful emissions complied with the rules of the German road traffic regulator.

North Rhine-Westphalia, another regional state that also uses a fleet of VW cars is considering suing VW as well.

2015 saw the biggest scandal emerge around the Concern when VW admitted that its diesel-powered cars were fitted with software that understated the harmful emissions. The Company sustained substantial financial losses back then, primarily due to the plunge of its share prices. In addition, VW had to agree to pay huge fines and buy back 500, 000 vehicles in the USA.

However, the European regulators have so far failed to force the Concern make similar moves in the European Union.