Volkswagen parent company liable to answer any emissions fraud charges: court

Spain's High Court said on Friday Volkswagen's parent company, based in Germany, would be liable to answer any charges over emissions fraud, rather than its Spanish affiliates.

Volkswagen (VW) admitted in September to cheating US diesel emissions tests and said that up to 11 million vehicles worldwide could be fitted with illegal software.

The carmaker had said the Spanish probe, accusing it of fraud in relation to exhaust emissions and pollution from its diesel engines, should be directed at its Spanish affiliates Seat, Volkswagen-Audi España and Volkswagen Navarra.

The court opened initial proceedings against VW in October, with around 700,000 diesel vehicles in Spain, mostly VW and Seat models, believed to be affected.