STUTTGART (dpa-AFX) - A decision is to be made on Thursday in the test case against Mercedes-Benz in the wake of the diesel scandal. The Stuttgart Higher Regional Court has scheduled a hearing in the case for 9 a.m. The proceedings had begun in July 2022, but had been postponed several times due to expected landmark rulings by the European Court of Justice (ECJ) and the Federal Court of Justice (BGH) in the complex case.

The Federation of German Consumer Organizations (vzbv) had filed the so-called model declaratory action in 2021 in connection with the diesel scandal. Essentially, the association accuses the Stuttgart-based car manufacturer of deliberately manipulating emissions values and wants to claim damages for affected customers. If the more than 2,800 car owners who, according to vzbv, have joined the lawsuit, were to be awarded a right to compensation, they would still have to enforce this themselves./jwe/DP/he