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Volkswagen reaches $54 million 'dieselgate' settlement with Italian owners

Volkswagen and a. group representing car owners in Italy have reached an agreement. worth more than 50 million euros ($ 54 million) to end a legal. battle over the dieselgate emissions scandal, they said on. Wednesday.

In the settlement, over 60,000 vehicle owners impacted by the. emissions scams will be paid up to 1,100 euros each, Italian. customer group Altroconsumo stated in a statement.

The scandal rocked the automobile market in 2015 when it. emerged that cars had been fitted with unlawful software to. cheat environmental emissions tests. It has cost the German. carmaker more than 32 billion euros ($ 34.8 billion) in fines,. refits and legal expenses.

Volkswagen's Italian arm verified the agreement.

We continue to work in favour of our consumers here in. Italy. The agreement brings a years-long litigation to an end. and provides a mutual solution for all parties involved, it said. in a statement.

The settlement applies to chauffeurs who bought Volkswagen,. Audi, Skoda and SEAT cars with diesel EA189 engines between 2009. and 2015.

Altroconsumo began legal action against Volkswagen in. 2015, in coordination with its sibling organisations in Belgium,. Spain and Portugal who belong to the Euroconsumers body.

The group gotten in touch with Volkswagen to effectively compensate. dieselgate victims in all nations included.

All dieselgate victims are equivalent and should be treated with. equivalent regard, said Els Bruggeman, Head of Policy and. Enforcement for Euroconsumers.

(source: Reuters)