Non-governmental organizations accuse France of neglecting to repudiate millions of defective diesel vehicles
In a bid to address the issue of suspect vehicles and enforce recalls, the French government established the Vehicle and Engine Market Surveillance Service (SSMVM) in 2020. However, the service's efforts have been questioned, as only a handful of corrective measures have been taken, and many vehicles with fraudulent emissions devices remain on French roads.
A study published in May 2023 linked excess diesel emissions in France to 16,000 premature deaths since 2009. Despite this alarming figure, only four car models were subject to corrective decisions, and only two recalls were actually carried out. The Opel Meriva recall, covering 3,659 vehicles, was not published until a year after excess emissions were detected.
The software in these cars is designed to detect official emissions tests and turn on pollution controls only during those checks, emitting nitrogen oxides far above legal limits on the road. This practice has been linked to increased cases of childhood asthma and other health concerns.
In addition to Opel, manufacturers such as Volkswagen, Peugeot-Citroën, Renault, and Fiat Chrysler have also been implicated in the scandal. The Volkswagen scandal first emerged in 2015, but investigations later showed that most major manufacturers had sold models with cheating devices.
The recall for 12,800 Peugeot 308 cars was announced in September 2021, after tests showed the exhaust system allowed excess emissions over time. In the case of the Volvo V40, authorities decided not to extend corrective measures to other models despite identifying high nitrogen oxide levels.
The slow action in taking corrective measures has not gone unnoticed. France Nature Environnement (FNE), Consumer Affairs, Housing and Living Environment (CLCV), and international environmental law group ClientEarth have filed a case against the French government for failing to recall cars with fraudulent emissions devices.
The three NGOs argue that the government's inaction violates its constitutional duty to guarantee citizens a healthy environment. They want the court to recognize the state's failure and order it to act, with a financial penalty of €50 million every six months if it does not.
Without corrective measures, the study warns that an additional 8,000 deaths and thousands of new childhood asthma cases could occur by 2040, with an estimated economic cost of €45 billion. Criminal investigations are still underway against the implicated manufacturers, but no trials have begun.
It is important to note that all the manufacturers contest the charges against them. In contrast, in the United States, Volkswagen was forced to buy back affected cars and pay billions in compensation soon after the scandal emerged.
As the case unfolds, the French government and the implicated manufacturers will need to address these concerns and take action to ensure the safety and health of the public. The future actions of the SSMVM and the French government will be closely watched as they work to rectify this issue.
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