The environmental conditions replace import quotas for vehicles

Imported and domestic cars shall adopt new rules that help mitigate their pollution level. Assembly plants support the measure but ask for up to 2 years to comply with it.

It is not yet official, but President Rafael Correa announced that all vehicles marketed in the country must be tailored to the environmental standard Euro3, as part of the trade agreement the country plans to sign this year with the European Union. A measure that ensures a more efficient use of engines with fuel consumption.

Both importers and representatives of the assembly industry expect the scope of this provision, which would lead them to reconsider the new rules in a market that plans to close this year with a total of 60,000 units sold, compared to 82,000 last year.

In the case of the assembly industry, explains David Molina, industries agree undergoing new environmental provisions, provided they are given adequate deadlines to implement the new measures. The president of the Chamber of the Ecuadorian Automotive Industry (Cinae), explains that several models produced locally under the Euro3 norm are commercialized; however, he says, the entire industry will need a prudent time to adapt its production processes. “We estimate that it could be a period of about 24 months or a little more in some cases,” he said.