Launched after anti-cartel raids in 2017, the case marked yet another blow against the German auto-making sector, which was rocked by the devastating 'dieselgate' emissions cheating scandal that broke in 2015.
BRUSSELS - The EU's antitrust authority on Thursday fined German auto giants Volkswagen and BMW €875 million for colluding on the development of anti-pollution technology for diesel cars.
The case found that while the car giants had not formed a formal cartel, they had made illegal agreements to limit the introduction of "AdBlue" or urea to diesel engine exhaust gases, reducing its effectiveness as a way to produce cleaner emissions."Today's case is about how legitimate cooperation has gone wrong.
Volkswagen's admission to manipulating 11 million vehicles worldwide to appear less polluting unleashed a wave of anger at the auto industry, and Brussels launched an in-depth cartel investigation into the three companies.