Abstract
The Volkswagen emissions scandal, also known as Dieselgate or Emissiongate, began in September 2015 in the United States and then spread all over the world, where it gave rise to many proceedings against Volkswagen and other car manufacturer, liable for having produced and marketed in different Conutries diesel-powered vehicles equipped intentionally with defective devices that reduced the effectiveness of emission control system so to pass the testing for the type approval of motor vehicles, commenced both by public authorities competent to enforce environmental legislation and by consumers who suffered damages for having bought "defective" vehicles. This article deals in particular with the sensitive issues raised by claims for damages made by private parties, either individually or by means of collective redress (sometimes represented by consumer protection associations), before the courts of a EU member State in the light of the uniform rules of jurisdition on civil and commercial matters contained in regulation (EU) No 1215/2012, better known as Brussels i-bis, as interpreted by the Court of justice of the European Union in the judgment of 9 July 2020 given in the case Verein für Konsumenteinformation c. Volkswagen AG.