The House of Representatives on Thursday approved legislation introducing higher fees for the technical inspection of passenger cars and light goods vehicles.
Under the new regulation, the fee at private vehicle inspection centres (IKTEO) rises from €35 to €43, while at public inspection centres (KEMO) it increases from €40 to €46. The change applies to category M1 vehicles (passenger cars with up to eight seats, excluding the driver) and category N1 vehicles (light goods vehicles with a gross weight of up to 3,500 kg).
Eight-year review
The law was passed with 40 votes in favour and one against - the latter from Limassol MP Andreas Themistocleous. Parliament also approved an amendment by DIPA MP Marinos Mousiouttas, providing for a review of the inspection fees every eight years.
Mousiouttas explained that the legislation resulted from a consensus among all stakeholders, noting that the last change to pricing occurred back in 2007. He added that the House had received multiple suggestions on the matter over the years. His amendment introduces a clause requiring the relevant Technical Committee to review the fees every eight years and submit recommendations to Parliament.
DIKO MP Chrysanthos Savvides said the bill had been discussed several times by the Transport Committee and described its passage as “the right move in the right direction.”
Citizens to burden fee hike
AKEL MP Giorgos Loukaides stated that, although his party did not fully agree with the increase, it would vote in favour of the bill. He said AKEL had requested a postponement to allow consultation with the Minister of Transport, aiming to reduce the financial burden on citizens. He called on the government to consider lowering the administrative fee of €5 or even the VAT rate, noting that although the minister responded positively, the process proved time-consuming.
Regarding Mousiouttas’s amendment, Loukaides said AKEL would not support it, arguing that any government already has the power to review fees whenever it deems necessary.
In response, Mousiouttas clarified that the fees could be re-examined earlier if exceptional circumstances arose. As for the increase itself, he pointed out that it amounts to just €8 after 15 years, while warning that eliminating the administrative fee would not remove the cost “it would simply be passed on to the public as a whole.”