EU regulators seek information after Volkswagen admits new irregularities

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Commission has written to all EU environment and industry ministers asking whether they had any knowledge of "irregularities" concerning carbon dioxide emissions from cars and if so, how many vehicles could have been affected.

In a deepening scandal, Volkswagen on Tuesday said it had understated the fuel consumption and carbon dioxide emissions of about 800,000 vehicles sold in Europe.

In a letter seen by Reuters, the Commission says it was not aware of any irregularities concerning carbon dioxide values and would like to seek the support of EU governments "to find out how and why this could happen".

It said it had already contacted Germany's Federal Motor Transport Authority (KBA), which is responsible for approving the conformity of new car types, and was raising the issue with other national authorities at a meeting late on Thursday in Brussels.

The letter, dated Nov. 5 and signed by Industry Commissioner Elzbieta Bienkowksa and Climate and Energy Commissioner Miguel Arias Canete, urged all member states to investigate.

In particular, it asked each minister for information by the end of this month concerning "any evidence or information concerning possible irregularities related to the certification of CO2 emissions values".

"If relevant, how many of the vehicles that were newly registered in your country in the calendar years 2012, 2013 and 2014 were possibly affected," the letter asked.

The European Commission said it does not comment on unpublished documents.

(Reporting by Barbara Lewis; Editing by David Holmes)