Trade Ministry Sources: “No backing down on renewed import of vehicles less than three years for the moment »

Sources from the Ministry of Trade have asserted to “Echorouk” that there has been, for the time being, no decision to cancel the revival of the import of cars less than three years as suggested in the Finance Bill for the year 2017, stressing that the official source for the announcement of such decisions remains the Trade Minister himself, who recently clearly pointed to the return of these imports in the face of potent lobbies who are now striving to block such a move because of vested interests.

These pervasive lobbies, backed by certain big-wigs, are seeking to further strengthen their malicious grip on the profit-yielding vehicle market in Algeria.

The Algerian government has revived the import of vehicles less than three years after a ban that lasted more than ten years.

Trade Minister Bakhti Belaib announced to this effect: “We will lift the ban and work out good specifications for this purpose and we won’t import vehicles which could pose hazards to road traffic. We will authorize the import of these used vehicles, according to certain strict conditions, “he underlined.

Indeed, the Minister did not mince his words against those he described as “lobbies” with long back-up connections that challenge the institutions and the laws of the Republic. According to him, these adverse lobbies are clearly behind the ban on the import of vehicles less than three years, and are intent on serving their own interests.

 In a reaction to this announcement, several experts and associations of Algerian car dealers have expressed fears about the projected move, while warning the government over the consequences of such a measure, especially with regard to the lack of traceability and technical guarantees.