If a local government enacted a law for factories that they should all have fire sprinklers installed, to save x number of lives per year.
Then the a factory operator decides to pretend they installed sprinklers, but did not.
Shouldn't they be culpable for excess death?
I think it's similar here - the EU mandated a safety measure (a certain limit on NOx and particles), the car companies merely pretended to comply.
If a local government enacted a law for factories that they should all have fire sprinklers installed, to save x number of lives per year.
Then the a factory operator decides to pretend they installed sprinklers, but did not.
Shouldn't they be culpable for excess death?
I think it's similar here - the EU mandated a safety measure (a certain limit on NOx and particles), the car companies merely pretended to comply.