In Belgium, the Brussels court has already decided in first instance that Volkswagen must pay compensation to duped buyers of diesel cars with cheating software.
The infamous cheating software scandal that gripped Volkswagen and its sub-brands Audi, Seat and Skoda for years continues to haunt the car manufacturer. Earlier, the court in the Netherlands had awarded compensation for the first time to an individual owner of a second-hand Volkswagen who had been affected by the company's fraudulent practices. The ruling may have opened the doors to possible massive compensation to buyers of second-hand Volkswagens who have also fallen victim to the diesel scandal.
The case was brought before the Consumers' Association in collaboration with the Volkswagen Group Diesel Efficiency Foundation (VGDES). After a lengthy legal battle, the court ruled in favor of them and a compensation of 1500 euros was awarded to a consumer who had bought a second-hand 'sjoemeldiesel' in the past.
scandal
The cheating software scandal came to light when it emerged that Volkswagen had deliberately installed software in its diesel cars to manipulate emissions tests. The on-board computer recognized when an official test was being performed and adjusted nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions to stay within the standards during the test. As a result, actual on-road emission levels were significantly higher than reported during testing, resulting in the cars emitting much more harmful substances than legally allowed.
While Volkswagen is best known for this scandal, it's important to note that other automakers have also used cheating software in the past. This means that not only Volkswagen owners can be eligible for compensation, but also buyers of certain models of Mercedes-Benz, Opel, DS, Citroën, Peugeot, Dacia and Renault.
compensation
In Belgium, the Brussels court has already decided in the first instance that Volkswagen must pay compensation to duped buyers of diesel cars with cheating software. The victims will receive a refund of 5 percent of the purchase price, or 5 percent of the difference between the purchase price and the resale price if they no longer have the car in their possession. Although this is an important step, the court did not fully address the full damages claim of Testaankoop, the interest group that brought the lawsuit.
The cheating software scandal has already cost Volkswagen billions in fines and has resulted in compensation for many duped car owners worldwide. In the Netherlands, approximately 150.000 buyers have already received compensation of up to 3.000 euros, while a similar ruling has also resulted in compensation for a consumer in Germany. In Italy, about 63.000 Volkswagen owners collectively received compensation of 200 million euros
