The finance committees of the two legislative chambers recently adopted an additional article to the 2026 finance bill allowing each citizen to import a car exempt from customs duties. The announcement, widely relayed under the title “an exempt car for every citizen”, marks a major legislative step forward but already raises many questions.
Guest on Expresse FM, the spokesperson for the National Chamber of Automobile Dealers and Manufacturers, Mehdi Mahjoub, affirmed that the reduction in vehicle prices remains “a legitimate demand”. He assured the Chamber’s support for any measure reducing the tax burden on imported cars.
But beyond this principle, Mahjoub called for caution and pointed out several gray areas. He notably questioned the application mechanisms: how to determine the real value of a seven-year-old used vehicle? Which body would be responsible for the evaluation? And above all, how would the financial transfers linked to these import operations be organized?
Risk of a saturated market
The spokesperson warned of the potential impact of completely opening the system. Without a clear ceiling, the market could be overwhelmed by a massive influx of vehicles. Mahjoub even evokes the scenario of almost two million cars entering in a single year, a volume likely to lead to complete disorganization of the sector.
Added to this are environmental and security concerns. The majority of vehicles affected are believed to be older models, often incompatible with modern emissions and safety standards. Such a flow would also go against the grain of national guidelines in favor of electromobility.
The manager also underlines the risk of a shock to tax revenues. A massive importation of duty-free vehicles would significantly reduce inflows linked to customs duties, VAT and taxes specific to the automobile sector, at a time when the State seeks to broaden its tax base.
Call for a regulated framework
Mahjoub defends an alternative: granting each Tunisian the opportunity to acquire a new car, from the local market, once every ten years and not just once in their entire life. He calls for framing the current system according to a logic close to that of “popular cars”, where the benefit is conditioned by strict criteria.
The spokesperson finally insists on the importance of massive investment in public transport. He believes that the recent arrivals of buses are starting to improve the situation, and considers that the modernization of the sector constitutes the most sustainable solution to reduce traffic jams and alleviate the financial burdens weighing on households.
The adopted text will now have to be examined in plenary, where the debates promise to be lively. Between the hope of wider access to mobility and the risks of an unbalanced market, the equation remains fragile.
Also read: A bill aims to extend the FCR regime to Tunisians residing in Tunisia
