FRANCE/FILE: Mercedes-Benz confident a France sales ban will be lifted as hearing on cooling delayed until Tuesday

Record ID: 860828

  • Title: FRANCE/FILE: Mercedes-Benz confident a France sales ban will be lifted as hearing on cooling delayed until Tuesday
  • Date: 23rd August 2013
  • Summary: PARIS, FRANCE (FILE - JULY 30, 2013) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF MERCEDES CAR MODELS IN SHOWROOM
  • Embargoed: 7th September 2013 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: France
  • City:
  • Country: France
  • Topics: Legal System,Business,Industry,Politics,Transport
  • Reuters ID: LVA5CXWH2JQBNVL74U8JYQYQOUFT
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  • Story Text: France's top administrative court said on Friday (August 23) it would delay until Tuesday a decision on Daimler's request for an injunction lifting a ban on the sale of certain Mercedes Benz cars in France.
    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 blocked models account for most of the brand's French business and 2 percent of global deliveries.
    Daimler has argued that the new refrigerant, known as R1234yf, poses a potential fire hazard.
    "I think that the position of Mercedes-Benz is clear," the director general of services for Mercedes France, Harry Salamon, said on exiting the tribunal.
    Salamon said he was confident that the court will lift the ban.
    "The measure will be immediately cancelled and we can continue to sell our vehicles with a gas which is safe," he told journalists.
    France has argued that the ban is legally permissible under an EU law that protects the environment and public health.
  • Copyright Holder: FILE REUTERS (CAN SELL)
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