Bill 461.

Summary.

The bill amends Article 11 of Law 51 of June 28, 2017, which regulates road freight transport. It provides that foreign registered vehicles used for that service may enter Panama only through the designated places and official routes, and during the hours authorized for that purpose. Upon entry, the persons, their goods, the vehicles, and the transport units must report to the competent authority for the corresponding lawful reception procedure. This requirement covers the vehicles’ entry as well as the presentation of the people travelling in them and the freight they carry.

The amendment requires checks when those vehicles enter and leave Panama. The competent authorities must determine whether they owe amounts arising from final fines imposed for traffic violations or damage caused, or have pending proceedings stemming from traffic accidents that occurred within Panama. The Ministry of Public Security (Ministerio de Seguridad Pública), through the National Migration Service (Servicio Nacional de Migración), must coordinate with the relevant authorities so that information about those debts or proceedings is transmitted promptly. The stated purposes are to secure collection of the fines imposed and prevent their annulment or loss of effect. Foreign registered freight vehicles with unpaid final fines, uncompensated damage, or ongoing proceedings concerning traffic accidents in Panama are prohibited from entering or leaving the country.

The bill also amends Article 15 of the same law. It prohibits the importation of vehicles intended for road freight transport if their vehicle identification number (VIN) has been tampered with, their chassis has unauthorized structural joints or alterations that compromise its integrity and safety, or they are fifteen (15) years old or older from their date of manufacture. For purposes of that article, every imported vehicle must satisfy current certifications for emissions of polluting gases under applicable national and international environmental standards, regardless of where it comes from or its year of manufacture. Article 3 expressly identifies Articles 11 and 15 as the provisions being amended. Article 4 provides that the proposed law would take effect on the day following its promulgation.

The bill’s provisions concern the Ministry of Public Security, the National Migration Service, and the competent authorities involved in lawful reception procedures, checks of debts and proceedings, and import controls. They could affect road freight carriers, operators of foreign registered vehicles, importers of freight vehicles, and participants in goods trade and logistics.