The Vehicle Importers Association says the Gazette issued yesterday on the removal of the temporary ban on vehicle imports applies only to 04 categories of vehicles.

Addressing the media, the Chairman of the Association Prasad Manage said the Gazette allows the import of over 25-seater buses, 10 to16 seater passenger transport vans, double cabs, and lorries. 

Prasad Manage further said that the duty structures for the import of these vehicles are yet to be announced, with the relevant circular expected to be issued today or in the coming days. 

Clarifying that, however, the Gazette does not apply to the imports of vehicles for personal use, he expressed confidence in the announcement being made soon. 

The Ministry of Finance, Planning, and Economic Development, under the leadership of Minister Anura Kumara Dissanayake, yesterday issued new regulations under the Imports and Exports (Control) Act, No. 1 of 1969. 

The regulations, cited as the Imports and Exports (Control) Regulations No. 01 of 2025, aim to facilitate the removal of the temporary suspension on the importation of motor vehicles

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Asked about the matter, Public Security Minister Ananda Wijepala told that the luxury vehicles, available with the government, would be auctioned.

“We have enough luxury vehicles. Bu, they cannot be allocated to the MPs in terms of our policy. Valuation is now in progress regarding the fleet of luxury vehicles. We will auction them afterwards. However, we lack double-cabs to be assigned to the MPs. Over 100 of our MPs are without proper vehicle facilities. We will take a decision once the auctioning is done,” he said.