More EU Countries May Adopt French Ban on Mercedes Cars

France's refusal to register some of Daimler AG's Mercedes-Benz passenger vehicles that use an air-conditioning refrigerant banned by the EU may spread to other members of the 28-nation group.

The countries agreed on Wednesday at a meeting of the EU's Technical Committee on Motor Vehicles that "corrective measures shall be taken" to ban the affected vehicles or force Daimler to bring them into compliance.

An EU rule that took effect on Jan. 1 requires that all vehicles sold in the region must use the new "green" refrigerant 1234yf. Daimler said last autumn that its tests showed the fluid could ignite in a crash and create poisonous fumes.

Although a host of other tests showed that 1234yf is safe, the company has asked the EU to delay implementing the regulation. That request was denied. But for now, Daimler continues to fill its new vehicles with the former standard fluid, R134a, which has a much higher global warming potential.

France began earlier this month to block registrations of new Mercedes-Benz A-Class, B-Class CLA and SL models because the vehicles use R-134a. The European Commission said on Tuesday that the French ban was justified under the refrigerant directive.

The EC has given the German government until Aug. 20 to explain why it has allowed Daimler to ignore the refrigerant ban.