威力彩玩法

Almost no other country hosts as many important car manufacturers side-by-side as Germany and, with about 800,000 employees nationwide, the industry 鈥渉as an invaluable social responsibility鈥�, Thomas Fromm writes in a commentary for S眉ddeutsche Zeitung. In order to stand out from their national competitors, German car brands have long sought to promote their uniqueness and 鈥渟ell emotions alongside steel sheets and horsepower鈥�, Fromm argues. 鈥淥ne has to bear in mind this strategy of distinction to comprehend why the latest allegations over forming a cartel strike the industry at its core,鈥� he writes. If Germany鈥檚 most important carmakers have colluded to fix technology and costs since the 1990s, 鈥渢hey not only would have fooled their customers. They would also have ridiculed their precious brand-claims and thereby their company鈥檚 identity as well鈥�.

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Germany鈥檚 carmakers might face a wave of lawsuits after reports over possible collusion to fix costs and technology emerged last week, business newspaper Handelsblatt reports. Tens of thousands of customers might seek compensation for 鈥減ossibly paying a much too high price鈥� for their vehicles, estimates Klaus M眉ller, head of the Federation of German Consumer Organisations (vzbv). The European Commission and Germany鈥檚 Federal Cartel Authority are currently investigating whether the carmakers have broken the law by agreeing on suppliers and technological details of their exhaust gas treatment systems, the article says. The EU鈥檚 consumer protection commissioner Vera Jourova said 鈥渆nabling class-action lawsuits will relieve our judiciary system. And it strengthens lost faith of Europeans in the rule of law鈥�.听听聽聽聽

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For more information, see the 威力彩玩法 dossier The Energiewende and German carmakers.

Germany鈥檚 transport minister Alexander Dobrindt told magazine Focus that the Green Party鈥檚 plan to end the production of combustion engines by 2030 was 鈥渦tter nonsense鈥� because it would massively cost jobs in Germany鈥檚 core industrial sector. Organising the exchange of 45 million vehicles could not be done in a few years, he said. 鈥淭he e-car is part of the future. If it is the sole future cannot be foreseen today.鈥� Dobrindt also rejected calls to ban diesel cars in cities and announced a fund to create masterplans for modern mobility in cities, jointly financed by the government and carmakers.

Helmar Rendez, head of Lusatian energy company Leag, is opposed to phasing out lignite-fired power production to protect the climate, Jens Tartler writes in Der Tagesspiegel. 鈥淲e need to let go of the illusion that Lusatia can save the world鈥檚 climate while China and India construct vast capacities of coal plants,鈥� Rendez argued. German Chancellor Angela Merkel鈥檚 recent remarks on a possible coal exit do not worry the energy manager since Merkel did not specify a possible exit year. Leag鈥檚 plan for the eastern German lignite mining region Lusatia included another 25 to 30 years of coal power, Rendez said. However, he conceded that building new coal plants would not be considered by anyone in the country.

See the 威力彩玩法 factsheet When will Germany finally ditch coal? for more information.