Iraq outlines plan to regulate imported cars to tackle congestion, pollution concerns

BAGHDAD — Iraq’s Ministry of Trade on Tuesday announced a five-point plan to regulate imported cars, introducing new standards and restrictions on which vehicles can enter the market.

Ministry spokesperson Mohammed Hanoun told the state news agency the goal is not “a total ban or random reduction of car imports, but to regulate the market in a way that balances meeting citizens’ needs with preserving the public interest, especially regarding congestion, air pollution, and energy efficiency.”

He said the plan covers technical and administrative rules, including fuel-efficiency and emissions standards, and may set age limits on imports or restrict certain categories to hybrid or electric cars. Customs duties and taxes would be used to discourage large or high-consumption engines. The Kurdistan Region already has age limits for imported cars.

The ministry is coordinating with the Ministries of Transport, Environment, and Interior to ensure “policy integration and shared goals,” Hanoun said, adding that the plan encourages investment in mass transit to reduce reliance on private cars.

The number of cars on Iraq’s roads has surpassed eight million, far above the five million the country’s roads were designed to handle, according to the ministry. Hashem al-Sudani, director general of the State Company for Automotive Trading, said Iraq has imported and registered about 200,000 cars annually for the past four years.

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