The EU on Wednesday launched infringement proceedings against Italy for failing to adequately investigate emissions cheating allegations against carmaker Fiat-Chrysler.

The EU's executive arm "decided today to send a letter of formal notice asking Italy to respond to concerns about insufficient action taken regarding the emission control strategies employed by Fiat Chrysler Automobile Group (FCA)," s statement said.

The move came despite the Italian government issuing a last-minute call on Wednesday for the European Commission to postpone the start of legal action against Italy over suspected emissions-cheating practices at Fiat-Chrysler.

Not just VW?

In a statement, Transport Minister Graziano Delrio emphasized "the need to delay the start of the infringement procedure" to allow for further clarifications.

The Italian minister seemed to accuse the EU's Internal Market Commissioner Elzbieta Bienkowska of reneging on her word, stating that she had agreed with him in a recent phone call to wait for a letter of clarification from Rome before proceeding with the case.

German authorities had detected indications of emission cheating in Fiat 550X, Fiat Doblo and Jeep Renegade diesel cars.

The findings were made in the context of a larger probe triggered by German carmaker Volkswagen's huge cheating scam that affected 11 million vehicles worldwide.

hg/jd (dpa, AFP)