Ministries disagree over new tax for old cars

The Finance Ministry is working out new measures, which would limit the import of used cars. In addition to a new registration tax which is to replace the excise tax, the Ministry is planning to introduce an additional registration fee for cars older than eight years. According to Puls Biznesu, the fee is to amount to zł.500 per car. Other ministries are now examining the proposals. The Environment Ministry is generally in favor of the idea, "The introduction of an additional fee while registering cars older than eight years would be desirable from the economic and environment protection point of view," said Sławomir Gola from the Ministry. However, the Infrastructure Ministry stated that the additional fee is unjustified. Representatives of the car industry are also not enthusiastic about the idea, "The Finance Ministry's proposals are more likely to arouse discontent among the owners of old cars than become a real barrier against the import of technically flawed cars," said Witold Małachowski, a Volkswagen representative in Poland. (Puls Biznesu, pp. 1,4) E.B.