The European Parliament’s environmental committee has voted against new car pollution rules they say are too lenient in the light of the Volkswagen scandal which exposed loopholes in existing emissions tests.

European car sales rose 13.7% in November, according to industry data published yesterday, with US brands gaining strongly as Volkswagen continued to pay for its diesel emissions test-rigging scandal.

Renault, Japanese partner Nissan, and rival manufacturer Fiat Chrysler led European car sales higher in May, according to industry data published yesterday, but the overall pace of the market recovery slowed.

Corporate buyers and demand for mass-market car brands helped new car registrations in Europe increase 6.9% in April.

Europe’s car-market recovery continued in March, with solid gains in the five biggest markets: Germany, Britain, France, Italy and Spain, as consumer confidence improved on the back of greater job security, lower energy prices and the EU’s money-printing stimulus programme.