Environmental fee of up to €3,000 on imported used cars

Extension of the environmental charge in imported used cars and trucks that comply with the «Euro 5b» directive, decided the Ministry of Environment and Energy, according to amendment filed on Monday night in bill of the Ministry of Finance.

Specifically, a fee of €3,000 is imposed on imported used vehicles if they meet the European exhaust emission standards «Euro 4», while for imported «Euro 5a» and «Euro 5b» vehicles, the environmental fee reaches €1,000. According to the amendment, the same applies to lorries with a gross weight of up to 3.5 tonnes.

As highlighted, vehicles that fall under the European exhaust emission standards «Euro 5b» and for which a Vehicle Arrival Declaration or import declarations have been submitted are not required to pay an environmental fee.

Finally, the registration of vehicles subject to the Euro 1, 2 and 3 exhaust emission standards is prohibited.

Details of the amendment of the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources

It is included in the draft law of the Ministry of Finance: «Ratification of the Legislative Content Act of 28.1.2022 “Urgent tax, customs and related regulations, urgent provisions to ensure the right to effective judicial protection” (A’14)»

Article 2

Extension of the obligation to pay an environmental fee to old, polluting vehicles

vehicles - Amendment of par. 1 and 2 Article 5 of Law No. 4710/2020

In subpara. ab’ of paragraph a’ of par. 1 and 2 of Article 5 of Law No. 4710/2020 (A’ 142), on the imposition of an environmental fee, a new category of liable cars is added and paras. 1 and 2 are amended as follows:

«1. For passenger cars of par. 1 of article 121 of Law No. 2960/2001 (A’ 265), the following shall apply:

α) In addition to the registration fee, an extraordinary environmental fee is imposed: aa) in the amount of three thousand euros (3,000), if they are subject to the European exhaust emission standards Euro 4, as defined in the joint decision of the Ministers of National Economy, Environment, Town Planning and Public Works and Transport and Communications (B’ 182) or subsequent amendments thereto,

ab) of one thousand (1,000) euros, if they are subject to the construction specifications of European exhaust emission standards Euro 5a and Euro 5b, as defined in Regulation (EC) No 715/2007 of 20 June 2007 and Regulation (EC) No 692/2008 of 18 July 2008.

b) Classification is prohibited if they are subject to the European exhaust emission standards Euro 3, 2 and 1, as defined in the joint decision of the Ministers of National Economy, Environment, Town Planning and Public Works and Transport and Communications (B’ 542) and in the joint decision of the Ministers of National Economy, Environment, Town Planning and Public Works and Transport and Communications (B’ 542) and in the joint decision of the Ministers of Transport and Communications (B’ 6765/511/3.3).1995 Joint Decision of the Ministers of National Economy, Environment, Town and Country Planning and Public Works and Transport and Communications (B’ 194) or subsequent amendments thereto, or if they are not subject to European Emission Standard (Euro) specifications for conventional technology and for which carbon dioxide emissions are not proven. Passenger cars more than thirty (30) years old, intended to be used exclusively as cars of historical interest, are excluded from this Regulation.

1. For lorries of paragraphs (b), (c), (e) of par. I of article 123 of Law No. 2960/2001 and their used chassis,

a) in addition to the registration fee, an extraordinary environmental fee is imposed: aa) in the amount of three thousand euros (3,000), if they are subject to the European exhaust emission standards Euro 4, as defined in the joint decision No. 4179/346/21.1.2000 of the Ministers of National Economy, Environment, Town and Country Planning and Public Works and Transport and Communications (B’ 182) or subsequent amendments thereto,

ab) of one thousand (1,000) euros, if they are subject to the construction specifications of European exhaust emission standards Euro 5a and Euro 5b, as defined in Regulation (EC) No 715/2007 of 20 June 2007 (L 171) and Regulation (EC) No 692/2008 of 18 July 2008 (L 199),

b) classification is prohibited if they are subject to the specifications of European exhaust emission standards Euro 3, 2 and 1, as defined in the joint decision of the Ministers of National Economy, Environment, Town Planning and Public Works and Transport and Communications (B’ 542) and in the joint decision of the Ministers of National Economy, Environment, Town Planning and Public Works (B’ 542) and in the joint decision of the Ministers of Transport and Communications (B’ 6765/511/3.3.1995 Joint Decision of the Ministers of National Economy, Environment, Town and Country Planning and Public Works and Transport and Communications (B’ 194) or subsequent amendments thereto, or if they are not subject to European Emission Standard (Euro) specifications for conventional technology and for which carbon dioxide emissions are not proven.

Article 3

Transitional provision on environmental vehicle charge

They are not covered by the obligation to pay the environmental fee of sub-paragraph ab’ of paragraph a’ of paras. 1 and 2 of Article 5 of Law No. 4710/2020 (A’ 142), vehicles that are subject to the construction specifications of European exhaust emission standards «Euro 5b», for which a Vehicle Arrival Declaration (D.A.O.) or import declarations have been submitted at the time of the publication of this document.