France’s Mercedes-Benz dealers are warning of a “catastrophic” situation if the country’s highest administrative Court does not rule in the automaker’s favour as it seeks a preliminary injunction to allow certain models to be certified.
Le Groupement des Distributeurs et Reparateurs representing all Mercedes dealers in France and employing 11,000 staff, is looking to France’s Conseil d’Etat to allow registration of its A, B, CLA and SL models using r134a refrigerant instead of the European Union-preferred r1234yf variant.
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“There is an injunction [request], which went to the Conseil d’Etat,” the dealers president, Jean-Claude Bernard, told just-auto from France. “It is the highest jurisdiction in France.
“We have confidence the Court will give a favourable reply to Mercedes to allow certification. If it is not favourable that will be a catastrophic situation for France.”
Mercedes-Benz now has at least 5,000 backlogged models that were due to be delivered, with the dealers body telling just-auto it may have to make 1,500 staff partially redundant as the blockade continues to hit sales.
“Since the distortion of competition in the French market is rising more and more, Daimler has submitted a request for preliminary injunction at the French Conseil d’Etat,” said a statement from Mercedes.
“This is to achieve an earliest registration for the respective vehicles.”
The Conseil d’Etat says it acts as legal adviser to the French government as well as being the supreme administrative judge settling disputes relating to actions taken by Paris.
The French Environment Ministry in Paris and German Transport Ministry in Berlin were not immediately available for comment.
