EU should spare carmakers from ‘punitive’ emissions fines, says Scholz

Germany’s chancellor backs auto industry as VW considers unprecedented plant closures

The EU should refrain from “punitive” fines on carmakers that fail to meet emissions standards, the German chancellor has said, adding to the heated debate on the future of the key European industry.

Olaf Scholz – who is running for election in February at a time when Germany’s biggest carmaker, Volkswagen, is planning unprecedented plant closures in its home market – made the comments after meeting fellow EU leaders in Brussels.