Dieselgate: Volkswagen will compensate 60 thousand customers in Italy with 1.100 euros each – FIRSTonline

Another chapter closes dieselgate scandal di Volkswagen. The Wolfsburg automotive group has achieved a agreement in Italy with Altroconsumo to close the class action promoted by the association. This legal action, initiated in 2016, aimed to compensate over 60 thousand owners di Volkswagen, Audi, Skoda and Seat vehicles, purchased between 2009 and 2015 e equipped with turbodiesel engines EA189 Euro 5 ended up in the storm. Almost nine years after the scandal broke out, Volkswagen has allocated over 50 million euros to compensate Italian customers, thus ending the legal disputes in Italy.

Over the years, worldwide, Volkswagen has spent over 32 billion euros in fines, repairs and legal costs due to Dieselgate.

Italian motorists receive 1100 euros each from Volkswagen

Volkswagen Group and Volkswagen Group Italia have agreed to compensate the consumers involved in the scandal, who will accept the settlement offer, with 1.100 euros for each vehicle new purchased and not resold before 26 September 2015. For vehicles purchased used or resold before that date, the compensation will be 550 euros. Furthermore, if a vehicle has multiple co-owners, the amount will be increased by 300 euros for each additional co-owner.

Altroconsumo-Volkswagen agreement: there will be no appeal

Altroconsumo and the Volkswagen Group have decided to do not appeal to the Supreme Court against the sentence of the Court of Appeal of Venice last December. The first sentence of the Venice court had favored Altroconsumo, granting 3.300 euros each to the participants, condemning the automotive giant to pay up to 200 million euros to compensate those who had joined the class action. However, the appeal sentence in December had reduced compensation of only 300 euros for moral damage, excluding financial damage.

This decision between the parties puts an end to the legal matter started in 2015, avoiding further years of waiting and uncertainty for consumers.

Last March, the Council of State rejected Volkswagen’s appeal against the five million euro fine imposed by the Antitrust for deceptive practices.

When will consumers be compensated?

Altroconsumo declared that theagreement will be implemented in the coming months and participants in the class action will be informed gradually. The association is working to create a dedicated platform that will facilitate the compensation process, ensuring it is simple, effective and safe to use, although it will take some time before it is fully operational.

The Dieselgate scandal

The dieselgate scandal broke out in September 2015. Then it came to light that Volkswagen had installed software to manipulate polluting emissions during vehicle approval tests. This has led to massive recalls and legal action in Europe and the United States, as well as serious damage to the group’s image. Dieselgate has caused persistent legal problems for the German company, forcing it to deal with significant compensation over the years.