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Statement of the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture.
One of the top priorities of environmental policy is reducing air pollution. Therefore, the Ministry, in collaboration with the Parliament of Georgia, adopted several regulations, which are currently being implemented in the country.
One of the significant regulations adopted to reduce air pollution from the transport sector is the restriction on import of vehicles manufactured before 2013 in the country, which came into force on January 1, 2024. If a vehicle emission standard does not meet the Euro 5 norm, it may no longer be registered in Georgia.
The public, including automobile importer companies, was kept updated regularly. Representatives from the automobile industry were involved in the regulation-development process.
Moreover, the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture hosted several meetings to address this issue. Under the decision of the Government of Georgia, the regulation entered into force six months after its adoption - on January 1, 2024, considering communication with car importers.
Nonetheless, at the end of 2023, the Government of Georgia provided conveniences in response to the request of vehicle importers in Georgia. Specifically, on December 29, 2023, an amendment was made to the technical regulation, stating that the restriction no longer applies to vehicles whose transit from the exporting country commenced before December 1, 2023.
Today, vehicle exhaust is the primary source of ambient air pollution in Georgia's largest cities and along international highways. Thus, limiting the registration of high-emission cars is an incredibly significant step. However, if it is repeatedly delayed, it will be impossible to improve ambient air quality throughout the country and allow us and future generations to live in healthier environments.
The Ministry reiterates that the technical regulations will not affect vehicles that have already been registered in the country, as well as vehicle export, re-export, and transit. However, technical regulations do not apply to vehicles of historical importance, sports cars intended for off-road use, or vehicles deployed for fire /or rescue.
The regulation entered into force for cars from January 1, 2024, and for buses and trucks will be put into effect from 2025.