Dieselgate: Looking under the hood

Who knew what when? Could it have been prevented?

The European Parliament's committee of inquiry into emission measurements in the automotive sector recently began to investigate the role of the European Commission and of national governments in the Volkswagen diesel emissions scandal, known as Dieselgate.

Did the commission act in time to make sure certification tests accurately reflected actual emissions of dangerous pollutants? Did EU member states do enough to make sure the ban on cheating software - the so-called defeat devices - was enforced?

Under the chairmanship of Belgian MEP Kathleen Van Brempt, the EP's inquiry committee will look into these and other questions. It is only the fourth time that MEPs investigate in an official inquiry committee, and only the second time this century.

To prevent the work of the committee ending up as a dusty backroom affair, EUobserver will closely follow the hearings and research carried out by the MEPs.

It will provide coverage in a special section: Dieselgate.

In addition to covering the committee's work, EUobserver will also investigate aspects of the scandal not covered by the EP's mandate.

The mandate will be closely monitored by those political groups that did not want an inquiry committee in the first place.

Volkswagen admitted to cheating on the emissions tests in the United States, but claims that its actions in Europe - where 8 million diesel cars were equipped with software that could be used for cheating - was within the law.

What is the effect of Dieselgate on Europe's car industry, and more specifically for the use of diesel? How are consumers affected?

These are some of the questions EUobserver will address.