Albania has introduced new measures to combat environmental pollution and enhance road safety by banning the importation of vehicles older than 15 years. As part of this effort, the country will also prohibit the registration of cars that do not meet the European Union’s “Euro 5” standard, replacing the current “Euro 4” norm. This means that cars manufactured before 2011 will no longer be allowed to enter Albania.

According to data from the Directorate of Transport, in the past year alone, over 100,000 imported vehicles were registered from 81 countries. Of these, more than 33,000 vehicles only met the Euro 4 standard, while 22,000 were older than 15 years. This new policy aligns with international efforts to reduce environmental impact and improve road safety, as older vehicles are considered more polluting and prone to accidents.

The move follows similar policies in neighboring countries. Montenegro has already banned the import of cars manufactured before 2009, while Kosovo has not allowed vehicles older than 10 years since 2017. Starting January 1, 2025, Kosovo will also prohibit the import of vehicles manufactured before 2015. Currently, the average age of vehicles in the region is 18 years, compared to just 12 years in the European Union.