“It is unacceptable that former European Commissioner Günter Verheugen refuses to appear in front of the European Parliament’s Inquiry Committee on Car Emissions. Without the testimonial and answers from the star witness, the work of the Inquiry Committee will become futile”, said the EPP Group Spokesman in the Inquiry Committee into Emission Measurements in the Automotive Sector (EMIS), Krišjānis Kariņš MEP.

The presence of former Commissioner Verheugen in the committee is crucial for the understanding of the making of EU automotive legislation from 2004 and onwards. These were defining years for the current rules for vehicle type approval and car emissions tests and thus constitute the main evidence for the committee.

“It is of the utmost importance that Günter Verheugen attends the hearing and, as the Chair of the committee is not able to convince him, the EPP Group will demand that the President of the European Parliament, Martin Schulz, personally intervenes”, Kariņš continued.

The EPP Group continues to work constructively in the committee, despite the risk that its work is devalued.

“I urge the European Parliament to work fast and efficiently on real solutions to the challenges with diesel engines and cars, and that is the adoption of a new proposal on type approval, the real driving emissions test (RDE)”, Krišjānis Kariņš concluded.