Import of vehicles
• In January 2021, imports amounted to 18,054 vehicles (private) compared to 15,465 in January 2020, an increase of 16.7%. Commercial vehicle imports amounted to 1,071 vehicles compared to 728 in January 2020, an increase of 47.1%. The increase in passenger vehicle imports, after particularly high imports in December 2020 on the eve of the change in hybrid vehicle taxation (1) and the update of the green taxation formula, stems, among other things, from a decline in currency exchange rates and a worldwide shortage of vehicle parts. 2020.
• Trend data indicate an increase in imports of passenger vehicles starting in July 2020.
Electrical and electronic products
• In January 2021, compared to January 2020, there was a mixed trend in imports of white appliances and consumer electronics. Refrigerators and dishwashers increased by 49.2% and 78.5% respectively. In contrast, in washing machines and dryers there was a decrease of 35.9% and 37.0% respectively.
• Imports of televisions decreased by 1.4%.
• In January 2021, the increase in cigarette imports continued at a rate of 19.4%. Part of the increase in imports came as a substitute for purchases abroad and duty-free. In the purchase tax revenue on cigarette imports, an increase of 19.1% was recorded.
The value of imports of other tobacco, which includes smoking tobacco, hookah tobacco, pipe tobacco, cigars and heating tobacco units, also rose sharply in January 2021 by 76.8% compared to January 2020. Purchase tax revenues on other tobacco rose by 37.9%.
• The total value of total imports in January 2021 amounted to about $ 6.3 billion, an increase of 5.3% compared to the value of imports in January 2020. Despite the introduction of vehicle imports in December 2020 and despite the closure, the increase is mainly explained by declining currency exchange rates and global shortages In the production of car parts, following the crisis, which affected the supply of vehicles in 2020 and led to an increase in vehicle imports in January 2021.
Trend data indicate a moderate increase in the value of imports starting in July 2020.
• Data from December 2020 show that there is a decrease in the quantities of gasoline marketing by 7.1%. The decline is due to the reduction in economic activity starting in March following the corona crisis. In the marketing volumes of diesel, a similar decrease of 7.5% is observed, which comes after an increase in November 2020.
(1) On 1.1.2021, the purchase tax on the import of hybrid vehicles was updated from 45% to 50%.