No imported cars for Algerians before March 2017

A deadline set by the industry ministry for car dealers in Algeria to conduct local investment projects will expire in the next 24 hours. A final quota of imported cars which will enter the Algerian market in 2017 has not been determined yet. They will not be distributed to dealers before March.

Mohamed Bairi, a member and former head of the National Association of Accredited Car Dealers, said the ministry did not inform car dealers about the obligation of local manufacturing. “Yet, the deadline will expire on Sunday.”

“Car dealers are waiting for imported cars quota which has not been fixed yet,” he added.

He told Echorouk that it is likely that there will be no imported car will enter the Algerian market before March 2017. The quota will be determined according to every car dealer’s commitment to investment in conformity with specifications. “His commitment to pay taxes, employment and to create VAT will be taken into consideration as well.”

Two weeks ago, Prime Minister Abdelmalek Sellal called on accredited car dealers to speed up the opening of production plants in Algeria.

He said the government will import locally manufactured cars, asking Renault car maker to raise its production capacity in Algeria to 60,000 vehicles.