Swiss set to drop criminal probe of VW emissions scandal
Keystone / Julian Stratenschulte
Swiss federal prosecutors are set to drop a criminal investigation into Volkswagen's diesel emissions scandal. There is not a strong enough case to file charges, they said on Tuesday.
This content was published on
2 minutes
Reuters/SRF/SWI swissinfo.ch/ilj
The Office of the Attorney General said that it had informed the German carmaker and AMAG, its Swiss importer, this month “that it considers the investigation to be complete and intends to drop the case,” it said in a statement to Reuters, confirming a report by Swiss public broadcaster SRFExternal link.
The defendants and private plaintiffs can still review the case file and submit more evidence until November 30. After that, officials will make their final decision, the office said.
Court cases
VW was caught using illegal software to cheat pollution tests in 2015, triggering a global backlash against diesel and numerous court cases around the world.
Swiss prosecutors opened criminal proceedings in 2016. This concerned potential damage to around 175,000 customers who bought or leased VW group vehicles with diesel motors that at least some VW officials must have known had been manipulated.
Consumer protection advocates criticised the potential dropping of the case in the SRF report. They said finding the culprits would have “sent an important signal to the public”.
The SRF report added that Swiss plaintiffs could still claim damages through civil law, adding that VW had already paid out billions abroad. “But without official culprits, such proceedings in Switzerland are very costly and difficult for individuals,” it said.
Contacted by Reuters on Tuesday, VW had no immediate comment.
Popular Stories
More
Swiss oddities
Mennonite movement turns 500 in Zurich, where it all began
Train vs plane: would you take a direct train between London and Geneva?
Eurostar is planning to run direct trains from Britain to Germany and Switzerland from the early 2030s. Would you favour the train over the plane? If not, why not?
Porrentruy mayor comments on Swiss pool ban controversy
This content was published on
The mayor of the Swiss town of Porrentruy, which has been in the headlines in neighbouring France after restricting access to a pool to locals after a spate of anti-social behaviour, says he has received much support in recent days.
Swiss universities to release multilingual AI programme
This content was published on
This summer researchers at Swiss universities will make available a large language model (LLM), an AI programme trained on vast amounts of data, developed on public infrastructure.
This content was published on
After a one-year test phase, Zurich's cantonal police are introducing an online police station. Demand is high and the response from the public has been positive.
This content was published on
The chic resort of St Moritz in southeastern Switzerland has registered "summer" as a trademark under the name "St Summer". The resort in canton Graubünden is launching a campaign to strengthen its summer business.
Swiss authorities detail progress on station access for people with reduced mobility
This content was published on
The Federal Office of Transport (FOT) said on Wednesday that 43 stations had been adapted for people with reduced mobility last year. The vast majority of rail travellers (82%) now benefit from easier access to stations, it says.
This content was published on
The prices of homes and apartments in Switzerland rose again in June. In the Lake Geneva region, prices of detached houses rose sharply. Meanwhile, in Zurich and its surrounding region the opposite trend was observed.
Crowded airports expected in Switzerland this summer
This content was published on
Switzerland's main airports are preparing for a busy summer holiday period. A number of changes have been introduced to improve passenger flows that are expected to be well above average in July and August.
Zurich police arrest 38 football and hockey fans after violent incidents
This content was published on
Zurich police have investigated 48 cases of fan violence at stadiums in the Swiss city since last autumn and arrested a total of 38 people, Swiss public television, SRF, reports.
Cashflow problems affect UN Human Rights Council activities
This content was published on
Certain activities of the Geneva-based United Nations Human Rights Council cannot be carried out in 2025-2026 due of the ongoing cash crisis affecting the UN.
Plaintiffs take Khaled Nezzar case to European Court of Human Rights
This content was published on
Two plaintiffs in a serious war crimes case against former Algerian Defence Minister Khaled Nezzar have filed an appeal with the European Court of Human Rights.
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.
Read more
More
Court rejects damages claims against Volkswagen and Swiss importer
This content was published on
A Zurich court has dismissed claims for damages by a consumer group against the German car firm Volkswagen and Swiss importer Amag.
Lawyer says that Volkswagen case stalling in Switzerland
This content was published on
Geneva lawyer Jacques Roulet formally wrote a letter to the Swiss justice minister, Karin Keller-Sutter, complaining about the alleged delays “in a case of national importance,” according to news agency Keystone-SDA. The letter points out that the Federal Criminal Court had ordered the attorney general to initiate criminal proceedings against Volkswagen AG, AMAG and AMAG’s affiliates and employees in November 2016. Since then, the…
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.