Proposed New Rules for Importing Used Cars

[Moderator_02]

Quote

Panama: Rules for Importing Used Cars

A bill proposes obliging importers of used vehicles to submit a certificate of technical-mechanical revision and gas control, which must be issued at least 30 days before the shipment date.

Friday, October 27, 2017

The preliminary draft of law 580 presented in the National Assembly would discourage the importation of used cars, according to entrepreneurs in the sector. The proposed law establishes a series of requirements that importers of used vehicles must comply with in order to bring them into the Panamanian market. 

See "Panama: Car Sales Down 13%"

Panamaamerica.com.pa reports that "...Project 580 establishes that those who import used vehicles are required to submit a technical-mechanical revision certificate and certificate for control of polluting gases duly endorsed by the authority of the country of origin, issued no earlier than 30 calendar days prior to the date the vehicle's shipment."

See also: "Age of the Vehicle Fleet in Central America"

"... Edgar Smith, importer of used cars, indicated that this measure affects them because those permits are not easy to acquire in the United States, least of all within a 30-day expiration date, meaning that when the vehicle is shipped, the certificate will have expired, as this procedure takes such a long time."

See details of the bill (in Spanish).

 

https://www.centralamericadata.com/en/article/main/Panama_Rules_for_Importing_Used_Cars

[Bonnie]

This really annoys me. If the bill is designed to cut down on air pollution, Panama needs to take a look at its own cars first. The government could start with some form of vehicle inspection that includes emissions, perhaps as part of the revisado. I would guess that at least half of the vehicles here are polluters.

[JohnF13]

This is nothing more than a ploy to support domestic car salesmen.  As Bonnie says, a minimal emission standards check on vehicles here would drastically cut down on the smokers we see on the roads every day.

[JudyS]

Cars here don't have the emission control equipment. Would it even be possible to check them?

[Keith Woolford]

Cars here do have emission control equipment built in. The standards are just not as stringent as some States in the U.S.

Vehicles you see running around belching smoke are generally old diesels that pre-date efficient designs.