Bills on affordable customs clearance of imported cars and introduction of a civilized car market in Ukraine is being delayed during preliminary consideration of legislative initiatives by the main scientific and expert administration of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine (SNEA). The conclusions of this administration actually repeat the stamps and templates used by the manipulative car-lobbyists in order to prevent abolishment of restrictions, opening the car market and providing delivery of the cars, affordable for people. This was stated by the UKROP member, co-author of the bills №5561 and №5562, a member of the NGO “West Ukrainian Association of transit cars owners” (NGO ZAVTRA) Mykhaylo Katruk.
The documents were registered in Parliament by the MPs from the “Ukrainian Patriots Association – UKROP” in December last year. They propose, in particular, to extend the period of preferential customs clearance for the used cars until December 31, 2020 and to abolish the use of ecological requirements “Euro 5” while importation of the old vehicles, instead of this introducing a strict technical control. Before consideration in the session hall of the Verkhovna Rada they should get a conclusion of the main scientific and expert administration of Parliament and relevant committees. But in the SNEA they consider that adoption of these laws will lead to the import of technically defective cars and affect negatively the sales of new cars produced in Ukraine. Civic activists believe that actually the point is not in Ukraine’s commitment to environmental standards, used by the SNEA as a pretext to protect business interests of certain individuals.
“If administration was really scientific-and-expert, they would analyze the European experience,” emphasizes the NGO ZAVTRA. According to Mykhaylo Katruk, the European Union does not have a common practice of restricting import of cars according to eco standards. The only requirement is a good technical condition.
Activists have proved this in practice: they went to Poland by Zaporozhets, produced in 1991, where they paid $ 250 for customs clearance (50% of the assessed value). But to return the car back to Ukraine, the activists will have to pay $ 3 000 of customs duties only (600% percent of the assessed value).
“We have launched a devastating blow to eco propaganda, used by the car-lobbyists for hiding behind. This is a whitewashing with the so-called EU norms they use to bury the bills written for ordinary people, and not for those who drive the most expensive cars,” said Mykhaylo Katruk, adding that the UKROP representatives will conduct an information war for introducing a civilized market of the used car in Ukraine.
