Filenews 9 September 2025 - by Angelos Nicolaou
The issue of charges imposed by car distribution companies for the replacement of defective Takata airbags will again be at the center of the parliamentary Trade Committee today, an issue that has caused a wave of reactions among consumers.
At the center of the discussion is the practice of distribution companies, which, despite the defective nature of airbags, reportedly impose charges of up to €150 as administrative costs incurred before their replacement. According to information, many owners of used vehicles choose to delay or avoid appointments for replacement altogether, waiting for a possible political decision to end the charges.
In fact, information speaks of a significant reduction in appointments, from about 40 per day to a significantly lower number, which is attributed to the uncertainty created by the public debate and the possibility of exemption from the charge.
One of the main problems identified by the Ministry of Commerce concerns the interpretation of the term "economic operator" in the relevant European regulation. The Consumer Protection Agency, which conducted an investigation, said it could not impose fines or order an end to charges, as the law does not clearly cover distributors who do not import the vehicles themselves.
According to current legislation, the "economic operator" who brings the product to the market is considered liable, however in cases where the vehicle has been imported used by third parties, the distributor does not formally bear the same obligation, thus creating a regulatory gap.
The letter of a distributor company in Cyprus, to the president of the Committee, MP Kyriakos Hatzigiannis, also caused a sensation. In the letter, the company clarifies that its relationship with the European company with which it is contractually appointed as authorized to sell vehicles in Cyprus, is governed by strict contractual and commercial clauses, and emphasizes that the vehicles it manages fully comply with European safety standards.
In addition, the company clarifies that it is not authorized to disclose the content of its contracts with the company, citing confidentiality clauses. At the same time, it notes that its liability is limited to "Conventional Vehicles" imported by it and not to vehicles coming from third markets without European Type Approval.
