Consumer advocates insist on VW compensation – FAZ – Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung

At the weekend, Volkswagen boss Matthias Müller had warned of drastic consequences, the carmaker should due to the exhaust scandal must compensate its European customers as well as his American. “But you have to be a mathematician to realize that compensation payments would overwhelm any amount also Volkswagen,” he said.

Consumer advocates now practice it strong criticism. “The unequal treatment of European customers to those in the United States is unacceptable,” said Klaus Mueller, head of the Consumer Federation, against the “Handelsblatt”: “Consumers in Europe and Germany must not go empty-handed.” And added, “Customer second class – the Volkswagen should not afford “

but not only German, but also for example Belgian consumer protection exist because of the exhaust scandal that Volkswagen compensate affected customers.. The organization Test-Achats had filed suit for Volkswagen drivers in the past week. “To say that for the European customers no euro is left, we deem credible,” said Test-Achats spokesman Simon November the Flemish radio station VRT. The consumer organization maintained its action determined.

Volkswagen have cheated its customers for years and must now bear the consequences. “We do not need to prove that Volkswagen has misled the customer, because that has admitted the carmaker itself.” The law see sanctions against it. “The sanction for misleading means that the consumer can keep the car and that Volkswagen must pay back the purchase price”, said the spokesman. “This is a severe punishment, we know, but the law provides for this penalty, so there is no reason not to ask that.”

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in the United States, Volkswagen reached an agreement with authorities and applicants in the past week after months of negotiations. Thus Volkswagen is expected to cost the exhaust affair there up to 15 billion dollars. An appropriate package provides buybacks, compensation and punishment.

So will indemnify Volkswagen American customers with engineered cars with at least $ 5,100 (about 4,600 euros). The owners could choose whether Volkswagen will buy back or convert their cars. The scheme is not yet final, a judge must still approve.