PARIS (Reuters) - France's Environment Ministry on Wednesday denied it had omitted key elements concerning some Renault (PA:RENA) cars in a report on vehicle pollution it commissioned following the Volkswagen (DE:VOWG_p) emissions scandal last year.
The Financial Times reported on Aug. 22 that three members of the French commission said the report did not include full details of their findings, including some discrepancies in Renault's Captur model cars.
The members also suggested the government might have been soft on Renault because of its 20 percent stake in the carmaker.
Renault's shares opened over 3 percent lower on Monday following the FT story. The shares finished 0.29 percent up on Wednesday.
"The ministry wishes to formally deny Financial Times' affirmations in the story on the commission's report on car emissions," it said in a statement.
"France is the only country that has set up an open and independent commission following revelations in the Volkswagen case, and tested all car brands in the French market," it said.
The statement said the ministry published results of all 86 vehicles that have been tested, and the state body in charge of competition, consumer affairs and fraud (DGCCRF) has launched an investigation into all anomalies detected during the tests.
Renault reiterated on Wednesday that it strictly complied with regulations and its cars were not equipped with emissions falsifying software. It added it had sent all required technical explanations to the French commission and other authorities carrying out similar investigations.