Algeria’s finance ministry has suspended the import of vehicles from Libya, including those less than three years old, citing irregularities in the customs clearance procedures on the Algerian side.
Finance Minister Abdelkrim Boulzard explained the decision during a parliamentary response on Friday, stating that permits for vehicles entering from Libya have been formally withheld. The move follows concerns over vague entry records and inconsistencies in documentation issued by Libyan authorities, which fail to align with Algeria’s regulatory standards.
According to Boulzard, discussions are underway with Libyan customs officials to establish a clearer framework for managing the cross-border vehicle trade. He also pointed to Libya’s legislation, which prohibits the re-export of domestically registered vehicles, except under two circumstances: when purchased directly from duty-free zones or imported by Libyan residents through official border crossings.
The decision comes in the wake of a bilateral customs meeting held last December in Tripoli, where Algerian and Libyan officials reviewed transport logistics and coordination across shared trade concerns, including the movement of goods and vehicles.
