​Due to the announced fiscal measures, especially those related to the reduction of ticket prices under the Rabla and Rabla Plus programs, the new car market will fall from 145,000 units this year to a maximum of 80,000 cars in 2024, estimates ACAROM (Association of Automobile Manufacturers of Romania).

Rabla programs will become completely unattractive if the cancellation premiums and subsidies drop that much

“In 2023, we expect the new car market to reach 145,000 units, with the main contribution from the Rabla and Rabla Plus programs.

Under the conditions of the announced measures, these programs are losing their appeal, and therefore the forecast for 2024 is catastrophic, namely a new car market of a maximum of 80,000 units, which will directly affect jobs in the sector,” says ACAROM.

We present the full press release of the Association

The automotive sector has been seriously affected by the new budget fiscal measures announced by the Romanian government

The automotive sector, represented at the national level by ACAROM – Association of Automobile Manufacturers of Romania, says it is shocked by the new budgetary fiscal measures aimed at the Rabla and Rabla Plus programs announced in the draft emergency decree published by the Ministry of Finance. yesterday, December 13, 2023

After 3 years of successive crises that have greatly affected the automotive sector, both the production and trade of new vehicles and related services; after the adoption of some fiscal measures that were not previously discussed with the business environment, which directly affect the automotive sector (taxation of 1% of turnover, tax on micro-enterprises, etc.), I was surprised to find that the Ministry of Finance – the Government of Romania proposes to adopt new measures, the application of which will seriously affect the automotive sector in Romania.

Thus, a completely unexpected and unbalanced change in the number of vouchers offered under the Rabla program (up to half of the current value) and the Rabla Plus program (up to 1/5 of the current value) will lead to the collapse of the new vehicle market, combined with an exponential increase in the import of used vehicles means In 2023, we expect the new car market to reach 145,000 units, with the main contribution from the Rabla and Rabla Plus programs.

Under the conditions of the announced measures, these programs lose their attractiveness, so the forecast for 2024 is catastrophic, namely a market of new cars at a maximum of 80,000 units, which will have a direct negative impact on jobs in the sector and on the turnover of Romanian companies in the automotive industry. We also highlight the fact that the reduction in the value of the vouchers provided through the 2 programs will affect the ability of Romanian citizens to purchase new, less polluting vehicles.

Thus, the beneficial effect of the implementation of the programs in previous years – the increase in the weight of hybrid, electrified and electric vehicles, which has a direct consequence of the increase in the import of used, more polluting and dangerous vehicles – is canceled.

Thus, Romania loses in several directions:

• Failure to collect VAT and taxes/contributions related to the purchase of new vehicles (minimum 65,000 units);

• An increase in the level of pollution due to the aging of the vehicle fleet (increase in the import of used vehicles plus postponing the decision to update existing vehicles);

• Increased trade in imported used vehicles (more than 1.5 million units in the last 4 years, of which more than 80% are more than 8 years old), the vast majority of which are tax-free;

• Unpredictability for the business environment with the activities of distribution and sale of new vehicles, decrease in sales volumes, turnover, profitability, fiscal contribution to the national budget, and last but not least,

• The direct impact of the Romanian citizen, which thus reduces the hope of purchasing a new vehicle with the support of these programs (the small value of the vouchers will prevent the purchase of a new vehicle).

Finally, we ask the Romanian Government to quickly analyze the possible negative impact of the proposed measures and act accordingly, so that the positive trend in efforts to reduce pollution by renewing the national car fleet continues in the future on a strong and predictable basis. , with multi-year programs, as in civilized countries.

What will happen to the Rabla program ]in 2024

In 2024, the amount of the ecological ticket granted through the Program for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions in transport by promoting environmentally friendly and energy-efficient vehicles, 2020 – 2024 is a maximum amount of 10,000 lei.

In 2024, the amount of the scrapping premium provided through the national car fleet renewal incentive program for 2020-2024 is a maximum of 3,500 lei for the purchase of a new motorcycle or a new car in exchange for the scrapping of a used one, respectively 5,000 lei for the purchase of a new vehicle in exchange for the disposal of two used cars.

The scrapping bonus is granted only if the beneficiary owns the used vehicle for more than 3 years.

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