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Court orders France to lift Mercedes ban

German car manufacturer Mercedes was celebrating on Tueday after France's top administrative court overruled a contentious government decision to ban the sale of some top-end models on environmental grounds.

Court orders France to lift Mercedes ban
Photo: DPA

The ban, which revolved around the use of a certain coolant, had flared into an international row.

The Council of the State said registrations of certain A, B and CLA-class models, frozen since June, should be resumed in two days.

“It does not appear that if these cars are put on the road in France…they will pose a serious threat to the environment,” the ruling said, ordering the government to pay Mercedes France €3,000 in damages.

The court said the decision had cost Mercedes France dear affecting 60 percent of its sales in the country and 40 percent of its earnings. A total of 4,500 vehicles had been hit by the ban.

Mercedes welcomed the ruling saying it “re-established an equilibrium in competition among European carmakers.”

France’s environment ministry had initiated the move in June, saying the cars use an air conditioning refrigerant the European Union believes emits excessive greenhouse gases.

Mercedes-Benz owner Daimler, which appealed against the ban, has insisted on sticking with an older coolant as it claims studies have shown that the new liquid catches fire more easily and puts cars at a greater risk of explosion in a crash.

Since January 1st, European Union rules demand that car makers use a cleaner refrigerant, deemed less polluting than older products.

Daimler says it will continue with the older product with the hope that “in the next few years” a better version will be available.

The makers of the new coolant reject Daimler’s claims but in Germany, the auto giant was given special permission to keep using the older gas.

Japan’s Toyota recently said it will not use the new coolant in its Prius Plus, Lexus, GS and GT86 models sold in Europe. But Daimler says no country besides France has raised an objection to the continued use of the older coolant.

AFP/tsb

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POLITICS

France vows to block EU-South America trade deal in current form

France has vowed to prevent a trade deal between the European Union and the South American Mercosur bloc from being signed with its current terms, as the country is rocked by farmer protests.

France vows to block EU-South America trade deal in current form

The trade deal, which would include agricultural powers Argentina and Brazil, is among a litany of complaints by farmers in France and elsewhere in Europe who have been blocking roads to demand better conditions for their sector.

They fear it would further depress their produce prices amid increased competition from exporting nations that are not bound by strict and costly EU environmental laws.

READ ALSO Should I cancel my trip to France because of farmers’ protests?

“This Mercosur deal, as it stands, is not good for our farmers. It cannot be signed as is, it won’t be signed as is,” Economy Minister Bruno Le Maire told broadcasters CNews and Europe 1.

The European Commission acknowledged on Tuesday that the conditions to conclude the deal with Mercosur, which also includes Paraguay and Uruguay, “are not quite there yet”.

The talks, however, are continuing, the commission said.

READ ALSO 5 minutes to understand French farmer protests

President Emmanuel Macron said Tuesday that France opposes the deal because it “doesn’t make Mercosur farmers and companies abide by the same rules as ours”.

The EU and the South American nations have been negotiating since 2000.

The contours of a deal were agreed in 2019, but a final version still needs to be ratified.

The accord aims to cut import tariffs on – mostly European – industrial and pharmaceutical goods, and on agricultural products.

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