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VW starts environmental-suit settlement talks

Berlin - Volkswagen (VW) will start negotiating with a group of US states to settle suits filed over claims the car maker violated their environmental laws by equipping vehicles with software to manipulate emissions controls.

The company said in a court filing Tuesday that the talks will start no later than November 1, after all sides agreed to move the lawsuit to US District Judge Charles Breyer in San Francisco, who presided over related cases that were settled in June. VW said it will provide the states with documents and information related to the claims.

Volkswagen’s $15.3bn settlement with federal regulators, car owners and 44 US states US covers only models from 2009 and later.

The company, which is also the target of potentially costly criminal probes in the US, Germany and South Korea, admitted in September to using so-called defeat devices, which allowed vehicles to pass official tests while still emitting up to 40 times more pollutants than permitted under US law during regular driving conditions. Worldwide, about 11 million vehicles were equipped with the rigged diesel engines.

The states of Maryland, Massachusetts, New York, Pennsylvania, and Washington are involved in the batch of cases being transferred to Breyer. Four of them filed lawsuits contending the car maker violated their laws by installing the devices in 2.0-litre and 3.0-litre engines. Washington issued a notice of penalty under its laws, according to the filing. The states’ attorneys general announced the suits last month.

VW spokesperson Hermann Prax didn’t immediately return a call seeking comment. Reuters reported the filing yesterday.

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