Following on from Volkswagen’s huge car emissions cheating scandal, the Swiss Federal Criminal Court ordered that the Swiss Attorney General launch an official criminal probe into AMAG; Switzerland’s largest car importer and dealer.
AMAG was founded in 1945 and sells vehicles by Volkswagen, Audi, Skoda and SEAT. The huge dealership generated over 4.4 billion Swiss Francs in 2015, and employed around 5,400 people nationwide at the time. The Federal Criminal Court said they ‘took the view that it could not be completely excluded that persons at AMAG were aware that emission values had been manipulated‘, and therefore seized evidence relating to the Volkswagen scandal from the dealership.
Why NOx pollution matters
High levels of NOx toxins can be very harmful if inhaled on a regular basis, and can lead to all sorts of breathing difficulties.
NOx pollutes the environment too; contributing to dangerous greenhouse gases that may affect climate change.
Owners and suppliers of these cars caught up in the emissions scandal are producing excessive NOx toxins, and this is a global problem that we all must face.
The Swiss attorney general took evidence of 2,000 complaints and passed them to the German prosecutors, thinking there was no need to start proceedings themselves. However, the Appellate court of the Federal Criminal Court held that the Swiss AG must start their own proceedings too, and this started with a criminal probe into the Swiss dealership.
The outcome may have been prompted by 596 further complaints submitted.
How EU emissions limits work
EU car emission limits are set within EU legislation, but it’s the responsibility of Member States to enforce the rules. As such, the Swiss have a responsibility to take action if illegal car emissions cheating is found in Switzerland.
The Swiss Office of the Attorney General could not just pass the responsibility to the Germans. AMAG has since been ‘fully cooperating’ according to reports, and handed over substantial requisite evidence.
Here at the Car Emissions Lawyers, we’re committed to helping claimants bring claims against car manufacturers for compensation where they have been found to have cheated emissions testing.
We’re already acting for thousands of victims of the VW scandal.
We continue to keep a close eye on any probes and investigations in to car manufacturers surrounding the use of software that can manipulate emissions vehicles are emitting.
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