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| Volkswagen scandal: France and Italy open investigations | Volkswagen scandal: France and Italy open investigations |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| French and Italian authorities have opened inquiries into Volkswagen over the rigging of emissions tests. | French and Italian authorities have opened inquiries into Volkswagen over the rigging of emissions tests. |
| Italy's competition watchdog said it had received several complaints from consumer groups against the company. | Italy's competition watchdog said it had received several complaints from consumer groups against the company. |
| Meanwhile, the Paris prosecutor told Reuters it was investigating suspicions of "aggravated deception". | Meanwhile, the Paris prosecutor told Reuters it was investigating suspicions of "aggravated deception". |
| Last month VW admitted that 11 million of its vehicles were fitted with devices that allowed them to cheat emissions tests. | Last month VW admitted that 11 million of its vehicles were fitted with devices that allowed them to cheat emissions tests. |
| Shares in VW fell 4.5% to a four-year-low on Friday, adding to a 44% plunge since the scandal began. | Shares in VW fell 4.5% to a four-year-low on Friday, adding to a 44% plunge since the scandal began. |
| The company faces fines of up to $18bn (£11.8bn) in the US and has already put aside €6.5bn (£4.7bn) to cover the cost of the scandal. | The company faces fines of up to $18bn (£11.8bn) in the US and has already put aside €6.5bn (£4.7bn) to cover the cost of the scandal. |
| "Consumers may have been misled in their purchasing decisions by the claims used by Volkswagen on emissions," Italy's competition authority said. | "Consumers may have been misled in their purchasing decisions by the claims used by Volkswagen on emissions," Italy's competition authority said. |
| The investigation relates to cars sold between 2009 and 2015 under the VW, Audi, Seat and Skoda brands. | The investigation relates to cars sold between 2009 and 2015 under the VW, Audi, Seat and Skoda brands. |
| VW has said 650,000 of its vehicles in Italy were equipped with the cheat software and that it would begin to inform owners. | VW has said 650,000 of its vehicles in Italy were equipped with the cheat software and that it would begin to inform owners. |
| VW scandal - unanswered questions | VW scandal - unanswered questions |
| Volkswagen: A brief history | Volkswagen: A brief history |
| The way we buy cars today | The way we buy cars today |
| 'Deeply shaken' | 'Deeply shaken' |
| Separately, Swiss road authorities put a ban on the sale of new VW diesel cars, as well as imported used vehicles. | Separately, Swiss road authorities put a ban on the sale of new VW diesel cars, as well as imported used vehicles. |
| That follows news that UK sales of 4,000 vehicles, including Skoda, Audi and Seat brands, thought to be fitted with the cheat device, had been suspended. | That follows news that UK sales of 4,000 vehicles, including Skoda, Audi and Seat brands, thought to be fitted with the cheat device, had been suspended. |
| However, UK transport authorities said that customers who had unwittingly bought VW cars with the defeat device would not face higher motor tax. | |
| UK motor tax is partly based on the amount of emission released by a vehicle. | |
| In the United States, VW has also stopped the sale of all new diesel cars. | In the United States, VW has also stopped the sale of all new diesel cars. |
| The European Consumer Organisation has written an open letter to new VW chief executive Matthias Muller, urging the company to take quick action to restore consumer trust. | The European Consumer Organisation has written an open letter to new VW chief executive Matthias Muller, urging the company to take quick action to restore consumer trust. |
| Its director Monique Goyens wrote: "VW's actions have deeply shaken the trust of consumers in their cars, if not in an entire industry. Millions of car owners have truck-loads of questions about what this sham means for their own vehicle. We want VW to come clean and rebuild confidence with concrete steps." | Its director Monique Goyens wrote: "VW's actions have deeply shaken the trust of consumers in their cars, if not in an entire industry. Millions of car owners have truck-loads of questions about what this sham means for their own vehicle. We want VW to come clean and rebuild confidence with concrete steps." |
| Earlier this week, a Volkswagen board member said that VW staff acted criminally. | Earlier this week, a Volkswagen board member said that VW staff acted criminally. |
| Olaf Lies told BBC2's Newsnight: "Those people who allowed this to happen, or who made the decision to install this software - they acted criminally. They must take personal responsibility." | Olaf Lies told BBC2's Newsnight: "Those people who allowed this to happen, or who made the decision to install this software - they acted criminally. They must take personal responsibility." |