An unfair world - VW emissions scandal

THE suggestion that the EU might introduce tougher car emissions tests in the wake of the Volkswagen rigging scandal will undoubtedly provoke the usual protests from the usual free-market interest groups. 

They should be ignored and dismissed with force. The EU and all European national governments should immediately move to impose the kind of standards that might help slow climate change.

The Swiss government has set a precedent on this by suspending sales of VW diesel vehicles that could contain devices capable of cheating emissions tests, including Audi, Seat, Skoda and VW vehicles built between 2009 and 2014. The Bern authorities said this could affect 180,000 vehicles but did not say how this might affect private car owners.

Germany was the decisive voice in arguments insisting that Irish taxpayers make good the losses suffered by German banks who supported our casino banks. It is an indication of how unfair the world is that it is fantasy to hope that the principle be applied again and German taxpayers pick up the incredible bill for VW’s criminal fraud.