FRANCE/FILE: France's top administrative court lifts Daimler sales ban after dispute over coolant

Record ID: 860184

  • Title: FRANCE/FILE: France's top administrative court lifts Daimler sales ban after dispute over coolant
  • Date: 27th August 2013
  • Summary: PARIS, FRANCE (FILE - JULY 30, 2013) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF MERCEDES CAR MODELS IN SHOWROOM
  • Embargoed: 11th September 2013 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: France
  • City:
  • Country: France
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVA3JJKH0LBDLMFE9SL5L6NKRGS7
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  • Story Text: France's top administrative court suspended a French ban on sales of some Daimler cars on Tuesday (August 27), ordering authorities to resume registrations of the vehicles while it weighs a definitive ruling.
    France has halted sales of Mercedes cars assembled since June 12 because of Daimler's refusal to stop using the air-conditioning coolant R134a, banned from new vehicles since the start of the year. The German carmaker chose not to equip the models with a new, more environmentally friendly type being phased in across Europe.
    Daimler deems the new coolant unsafe.

    "We expect the French authorities to start registering our vehicles within the next 48 hours," Daimler said in a statement after the Council of State issued its temporary injunction.

    "The balance between all automotive manufacturers in Europe has thus been restored."
    The court will now review in the months ahead whether to permanently invalidate the French government's ban - unless in the meantime Daimler withdraws its claim.
    The dispute could tarnish the image of the new refrigerant R1234yf, made by Honeywell International Inc and DuPont, and makes it more likely that automakers will need to search for a new chemical that meets an EU directive on air-conditioning refrigerants.
    Daimler, which says 60 percent of its sales in France are affected by the ban, argued before the tribunal on Friday that R1234yf poses a potential fire hazard.
    France says its ban is legal under European Union rules designed to protect the environment and public health. It points out that Germany's KBA motoring authority itself has found that R1234yf poses no serious danger.
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