Volkswagen agreed to pay the US $ 14.7 billion for the settlement of claims of the authorities and car owners who have been the consequences of which revealed in September last year, fiddling with the emissions of diesel engines Group vehicles. This is a significant step towards resolving the many claims that have arisen from companies around the world and led to the resignation of senior management of the company, writes The Wall Street Journal.

The total payment includes $ 10.03 billion to cover legal claims of the owners of the affected vehicles with 2-liter diesel engine. Payments are detailed in hundreds of pages of documents filed Tuesday in federal court in San Francisco. Volkswagen also will pay $ 2.7 billion in environmental restoration fund, and another $ 2 billion will be invested in vehicle technology with zero emissions, was quoted court documents.

The amount of the settlement, which has reached the VW, the biggest ever paid to automakers. The other party to the agreement are the US Department of Justice, the Environmental Protection Agency US (EPA), the Federal Trade Commission, regulativery California and consumer advocates. The amount does not include other possible civil or criminal penalties, which may subsequently be imposed by the Ministry of Justice.

What makes Volkswagen

2014 Volkswagen finished with a profit of 10.07 billion euros. In 2015, group net loss of 1.36 billion euros, but with the reserved 16.2 billion euros for the cost of "dizelgeytu". Without this "nest egg" operating profit of the group amounted to EUR 12.8 billion, ie. E. At the level of 2014 Volkswagen Sales in 2015 increased by 5.4% to 213.3 billion euros, it sold 9.9 million Car (-2%). In I quarter 2016, when the company did not have to make new contributions to reserves, net profit decreased by 19.3% to 2.37 billion euros (2.93 billion euros in the I quarter of 2015).

Separately, Volkswagen said on Tuesday an agreement with 44 US states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico to pay $ 603 million to settle claims of consumer protection associated with diesel cars.

In April, Volkswagen announced that earmarked 16.2 billion euros ($ 18.2 billion) to cover the costs of the scandal.

As submitted for approval to the court of the Americas Agreementnskie customers can either return the car back (repurchase or termination of the lease agreement), or the company will repair it for compliance with environmental regulations. Volkswagen will buy cars at market value as of September last year, before the regulators uncovered fraud emissions. Vehicle owners who choose the repair must wait until the company receives approval from the authorities the necessary modifications.

All customers, regardless of the choice of a refund or repairs, will receive an additional payment of $ 5,100 to $ 10, 000. Consumers will have more than two years to make a decision, but the sum of Volkswagen expenses not to exceed $ 10.03 billion, even if all choose a ransom, according to court documents . The transaction concerns 482 000 cars with diesel engines model Volkswagen Jetta, Passat, Beetle and the Golf and Audi A3 from 2009 to 2015 model year.

The agreement must undergo preliminary approval on 26 July the District Court of San Francisco, where consolidated lawsuits from victims for "dizelgeytu". If the deal is approved on schedule, Volkswagen will start a ransom in October. Under the threat of fines Volkswagen has until June 2019 to pick up the owners or repair faulty machines 85% with a 2-liter diesel engine. The automaker is prohibited to resell the purchased cars in the United States or abroad, as long as their emissions are not brought back to normal.

"We know that we still have much work to regain the trust of the American people", - quotes the general director Matthias Müller Group in a statement the company had reached an agreement. "We are focused on resolving the remaining issues and to improve the company, which will be able to create for their customers in the future affordable and sustainable mobility."

Volkswagen is still to be resolved in the United States a similar problem with the owners of 85,000 cars with 3-liter diesel engines, including most of the cars premium brands Audi and the Porsche, and arrangements can be costly for the company, notes the WSJ. In addition, federal prosecutors conducting a criminal investigation against the automaker that it threatens a large fine. Deputy Attorney Sally Yates on Tuesday called the actions Volkswagen «one of the most rUbykh violations consumer and environmental legislation in the history of the country. " According to her, the criminal investigation against "several businesses and a few individuals" continues.

In Germany, several lawsuits on behalf of large investors submitted to VW, including the Norwegian pension fund Calpers and Swedish bank Nordea. But the processes for collective claims in the German courts have not yet progressed far, showing more severe trial than in the US, writes the WSJ.

Despite the agreement in the United States, the European Volkswagen customers can be left with nothing, according to Financial Times. Volkswagen has repeatedly stated that he sees no reason to compensate European consumers because of differences in the American and European legal systems and more stringent environmental standards in the United States. Under EU rules, companies quoted by WSJ message, VW diesel cars do not violate emissions standards. Machines with illegal software in Europe is much easier to repair, the company explained. About 3 million cars in Europe responds to reprogram controllersengines and cars lead in compliance with the law.

However, European officials, organizations for the protection of consumer rights and lawyers insist that Volkswagen should compensate customers in Europe to regain their trust. "Consumers are massively misled" Volkswagen ", and the conclusion of agreements in the United States recognizes damage to the driver of the car", - said director general of European consumer organizations Monique Goien. "It is impossible to imagine that consumers in the EU can do differently."

Volkswagen has to offer to European owners of diesel cars compensation, similar to that the German automaker may pay to customers in the United States, said on Sunday the European Commissioner for Industry Elzbieta Bieńkowska. It would be unfair to treat European consumers differently just because of the difference in the legal system. "Other treatment of consumers in Europe, than with consumers in the United States - is not the way to win back their trust," - she said.

In October last year the company reported hoursthe problem with the software, cheating checkout equipment when testing concerns 11 million machines brands Audi, Volkswagen, Seat and Skoda cars with diesel engines worldwide, of which 8.5 million are in Europe.