The Commission has opened an infringement procedure against Italy for failing to comply with EU obligations on the approval of Fiat Chrysler vehicles. Under European legislation, it is up to national authorities to verify that a car type meets all European standards “before individual cars can be sold on the single market”. If a car manufacturer breaches its regulatory obligations, national authorities have to take corrective action (such as ordering a recall) and apply fines. In the viewfinder are the polluting emission control software mounted on the 500X.
The Minister of Infrastructure and Transport Graziano Delrio was in contact yesterday with the Commissioner for the internal market Elzbieta Bienkowska, by telephone and through written communications, underlining that he does not share the assumptions on which the Commission was proposed to start the infringement procedure .
Delrio – reads a note from the ministry – also affirms that the explanations provided in the Mediation Commission highlighted the correct behavior of the Approval Authority and the improvements independently produced by FCA on its vehicles, even in the absence of illegal devices.
With the procedure launched today, the Commission formally asks Italy to give an answer to its concerns about "the insufficient justification provided by the manufacturer regarding the technical necessity - and therefore the legitimacy - of the defeat device used and to clarify whether Italy has failed in its obligation to take corrective action regarding the FCA vehicle type in question and to impose sanctions on the car manufacturer.
The letter of formal notice is the first stage of the infringement procedure and forms part of the Commission's dialogue with the Italian authorities with the aim “of clarifying the facts and finding a solution to the problems identified by the Commission”. Italy now has two months available to respond to the arguments put forward by the Commission, otherwise the Commission may decide to send a reasoned opinion.
