Poland Clears Seven More Firms for Duty-Free Car Parts

09/04/96

Reuters has reported that seven more companies have received permits from Poland's foreign trade ministry to import car parts, duty-free. The Seven firms join Fiat Spa, which received the first permit last Wednesday. The permits are required by new regulations that were issued by Poland's industry ministry and took effect at the end of August. Previously any company that produced more than 1,000 cars was automatically granted permission to import car parts duty-free. The new rule is aimed at controlling the number of small firms that want to profit from Poland's booming car market without making much investment.

Zbigniew Ostrowski of the foreign trade ministry said Volvo Poland, Volkswagen Poland, General Motors Poland, Ford Poland, Daewoo-FSO (and Daewoo-Lublin), Scania Poland, and the Polish firm Jelcz had all received permits on Thursday or Friday.

Reuters cited Ostrowski as saying that there were three applications for permits that had not been processed because they were incomplete, although he declined to name the firms involved: "There are three applications left and we have asked the firms to supplement them. If they do this quickly we can even issue the permits today," said Ostrowski.

Paul Dever -- The Auto Channel