German automakers collusion was the plot of Dieselgate?
German newspaper Spiegel cited documents submitted by VW and another by Daimler, purportedly revealing that Volkswagen, Daimler and BMW are being investigated by Germany’s Federal Cartel Office on suspected antitrust collusion over decades on technology relating to exhaust gas measures on diesel vehicles.
The report shows that the companies have been secretly meeting in various working groups since the 1990s, where they agreed on technologies, costs, suppliers and even how to work on emissions from diesel engines.
Der Spiegel reports that the proof for these meetings can be found in two voluntary disclosures of wrongdoing handed to competition authorities by Volkswagen and Daimler.
Anti-trust authorities have been aware of such meetings since last summer, but the declarations only recently came to light, which may be an attempt by the companies to avoid stiff penalties.
European Union antitrust regulators are investigating allegations of a cartel among a group of German carmakers, the European Commission said on Saturday, a measure that could result in hefty fines for the companies.
The Commission and its German counterpart were tipped off about the possible cartel, the EU competition authority said.
“The European Commission and the Bundeskartellamt have received information on this matter, which is currently being assessed by the Commission. It is premature at this stage to speculate further,” the EU executive said, without giving more details.
On Monday, BMW has commented on recent reports of a suspected antitrust pact between itself, Volkswagen and Mercedes-Benz, relating to exhaust gas emissions on diesel vehicles and collusion over the AdBlue tanks these cars are fitted with to purify diesel emissions.
In the statement, the firm says: “BMW vehicles are not manipulated and comply with respective legal requirements”, adding, “The BMW Group categorically rejects accusations that Euro 6 vehicles sold by the company do not provide adequate exhaust gas treatment due to AdBlue tanks that are too small.”
The car industry has been hit with billion-euro fines on both sides of the Atlantic in recent years for cartels related to various parts such as lighting systems, engine coolers and bearings