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Document 62026CN0043

Case C-43/26, Volkswagen: Request for a preliminary ruling from the Landesgericht Steyr (Austria) lodged on 30 January 2026 – DIBO Diamantwerkzeuge GmbH v Volkswagen AG

OJ C, C/2026/2013, 13.4.2026, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/C/2026/2013/oj (BG, ES, CS, DA, DE, ET, EL, EN, FR, GA, HR, IT, LV, LT, HU, MT, NL, PL, PT, RO, SK, SL, FI, SV)

ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/C/2026/2013/oj

European flag

Official Journal
of the European Union

EN

C series


C/2026/2013

13.4.2026

Request for a preliminary ruling from the Landesgericht Steyr (Austria) lodged on 30 January 2026 – DIBO Diamantwerkzeuge GmbH v Volkswagen AG

(Case C-43/26, Volkswagen)

(C/2026/2013)

Language of the case: German

Referring court

Landesgericht Steyr

Parties to the main proceedings

Applicant: DIBO Diamantwerkzeuge GmbH

Defendant: Volkswagen AG

Questions referred

1.

(a)

Are Article 5(2) of Regulation (EC) No 715/2007 (1) in conjunction with Article 3(10) thereof and Article 3 of Implementing Regulation (EC) No 692/2008 (2), to be interpreted as meaning that, in the case of a diesel vehicle falling within the scope of Regulation (EC) No 715/2007, in which systems for exhaust gas recirculation (EGR system) and exhaust after-treatment (SCR system) are installed, classification as a defeat device within the meaning of Article 3(10) of Regulation (EC) No 715/2007 must be based on whether the effectiveness of the emission control system as a whole (including all existing exhaust gas recirculation and after-treatment systems in each case) is reduced or on whether the effectiveness of individual elements of design (for example, a ‘temperature window’ or NOx storage catalysts), as separate emission control systems, is reduced?

(b)

Are Article 3(10) and Article 5(1) and (2) of Regulation No 715/2007 to be interpreted as meaning that only the reduction of the effectiveness of the emission control system under normal driving conditions – whether of an individual element of design or of the system as a whole (see Question 1(a)) – is decisive for the purposes of classification as a prohibited defeat device, or is it also necessary for (at least) one of the emission limit values laid down in Annex I to Regulation No 715/2007 to be exceeded?

2.

In the event that the emission control system as a whole is to be taken as a basis:

(a)

Is Article 5(2) of Regulation (EC) No 715/2007, read in conjunction with Article 3(10) thereof, to be interpreted, with regard to the burden of allegation, as meaning that the purchaser of a diesel vehicle discharges his or her burden of allegation in relation to the presence of a prohibited defeat device where he or she claims that there is an element of design (for example, a ‘temperature window’) which reduces the effectiveness of the emission control system under normal driving conditions, and does the manufacturer then bear the burden of alleging that the system as a whole does not lead to any reduction in the effectiveness of the emission control system, or must the purchaser also claim that there are no other elements of design which offset the adverse effect?

(b)

Is Article 5(2) of Regulation (EC) No 715/2007, read in conjunction with Article 3(10) thereof, to be interpreted, in such case as the purchaser bears the burden of allegation in respect of the system as a whole and the burden of proof arising therefrom under national law, to be interpreted as meaning that even national legislation which, in such a case, requires the manufacturer to cooperate in establishing the facts, is contrary to EU law, in particular to the principle of effectiveness, with the result that the manufacturer must bear the burden of proof under EU law in that respect?

3.

Are Article 3(10), Article 4(2) and Article 5(1) and (2) of Regulation (EC) No 715/2007, read in conjunction with Article 3 of Implementing Regulation (EC) No 692/2008, to be interpreted as meaning that the components of a diesel vehicle likely to affect emissions must be designed, constructed and assembled in such a way that compliance with the emission limit values laid down in Annex I to Regulation (EC) No 715/2007 is guaranteed not only in the prescribed tests under the applicable type-approval procedure (in the present case, the New European Drive Cycle), but also under actual driving conditions in the normal use of the vehicle (in real operation)?

4.

Are the provisions of Directive 2007/46/EC (3) of the European Parliament and of the Council of 5 [September] 2007 establishing a framework for the approval of motor vehicles and their trailers, and of systems, components and separate technical units intended for such vehicles (OJ L 263/1, 9.10.2007), read in conjunction with Article 3(10) and Article 5(2) of Regulation (EC) No 715/2007 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 June 2007 on type approval of motor vehicles with respect to emissions from light passenger and commercial vehicles (Euro 5 and Euro 6) and on access to vehicle repair and maintenance information (OJ L 171/1, 29.6.2007), to be interpreted as meaning that an EGR rate which is reduced from the moment that the SCR operating temperature has been reached constitutes an unlawful defeat device?

5.

Is the principle of effectiveness of EU law (in particular Article 47 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union) to be interpreted as precluding national rules on costs and the application thereof by the courts, whereby an applicant who asserts a right to compensation conferred by EU law in respect of an infringement of Article 5 of Regulation (EC) No 715/2007 has to bear a significant proportion of the legal costs solely on the grounds that the national court sets the amount of damages at a level lower than that sought by the applicant, on the basis of a nationally recognised range (for example, 5 % to 15 % of the purchase price), even though the exact amount of the damage, although within the prescribed range, cannot be determined objectively in advance and depends for the most part on judicial discretion?


(1)  Regulation (EC) No 715/2007 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 June 2007 on type approval of motor vehicles with respect to emissions from light passenger and commercial vehicles (Euro 5 and Euro 6) and on access to vehicle repair and maintenance information (OJ 2007 L 171, p. 1).

(2)  Commission Regulation (EC) No 692/2008 of 18 July 2008 implementing and amending Regulation (EC) No 715/2007 of the European Parliament and of the Council on type-approval of motor vehicles with respect to emissions from light passenger and commercial vehicles (Euro 5 and Euro 6) and on access to vehicle repair and maintenance information (OJ 2008 L 199, p. 1).

(3)  Directive 2007/46/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 5 September 2007 establishing a framework for the approval of motor vehicles and their trailers, and of systems, components and separate technical units intended for such vehicles (Framework Directive) (OJ 2007 L 263, p. 1).


ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/C/2026/2013/oj

ISSN 1977-091X (electronic edition)


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