sotke20

Hello,
I wanted to know if anyone here knows about a COC for the EU.
Where I am living I am told I must have this with any car I import from the USA to the EU, or it cannot be registered.
I have asked some Ford dealers in the USA about this, and they have no idea what I am talking about.
I WANT TO GET A 2005 Mustang GT. However, this COC is driving me insane. Do Mustangs come with one, or is this a special order build from the factory? Is it possible to modify a Mustang so it will comply?
Any help would be great.
Thanks,
Phil

72grande

Phil,

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I suspect you are talking about the Certificate Of Conformity. Such a certificate guarantees that the vehicle complies with the National Type Approval requirements. Which would imply that there has been an importer who has taken a (new) car type through the whole, expensive, process. I can only tell for sure for The Netherlands, but I think for most European countries, the 2005 Mustang is not imported officially by Ford, so there is no COC. No need to ask US dealers for that.

Meanwhile, there are already several 2005 Mustangs in The Netherlands. They have been imported here on US specs and then taken to Germany where there are more supple rules for single type vehicles. With the German approval the car must be accepted in any European Community country and so it is registred in The Netherlands.

I don't know where you live, but if it is in or near The Netherlands I can provide you some adresses of firms specializing in this way of importing American cars.

sotke20

Hello,

Yes, indeed the COC I am referring to is the Certificate of Conformity. I’m an American living in Estonia and the officials here told me this document was needed in order to register a US car in Estonia. I was under the impression that this is a EU wide document.

I am aware that Ford does not export the Mustang to Europe, but in looking at some online car selling sites, I did find Mustangs with the V6 and the GT for sale. However the price is so much more than what I can obtain a Mustang for in the USA. I have a Finnish friend who was importing Nissan Infinity cars, which were not available in Europe, and he told me there is a company in Finland that specializes in doing whatever changes are needed to make the cars conform to EU standards.

Is it possible then to import one yourself and have a private company do the modifications so the car will comply with EU standards? Does such a company then issue the COC once the work is completed? The Estonian authorities made it sound that the COC had to come from the carmaker, Ford itself.

I know there is a 10% duty on imported cars into the EU and in Estonia the VAT is 18%. Still even with 28% added to the price it is less expensive to ship a car from the USA and I believe have the modifications done yourself, provided the COC is issued from the company doing such modifications.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Phil

jgsmuzzy

Phil,

Every US vehicle has to go through a test called "Single Vehicle Approval". Basically, this is an extended road worthiness test, and they need to change the flashers to orange and put two flashers on, one on each of the front fenders.
As Marc says, when a vehicle has been registered in another EU country, it can then move freely within the EU. So..... if you cannot get it registered in Estonia, get the SVA work done in an American car friendly country (Germany, Netherlands, Belgium) and then take the car to Estonia with the foreign registration certificate. The authorities in Estonia will have to honor it and register the car in estonia. I know of someone that has registered their mustang in Slovakia, so it shouldn't be a problem in Estonia. HTH

sotke20

Hello,

Thank you for the reply. I was aware of the slight modifications that are required but the COC that the Estonian authorities are asking for threw me a bit. I’ve discussed this issue with my Finnish friend and he is going to help me sort it out. I know how the car, once registered in one EU MS must be honored for registered in other MS, however, I did not want to register it in one country and pass all the fees, (which in Estonia include a 18% VAT on the purchase price) and then register it in another country and have to pay such fees again. My Finnish friend believes that this company in Finland will issue the COC that the authorities in Estonia will accept after such modifications are made.

So now it is shopping time for me. I’m finding I can get a 2005 GT for about 27,000 USD, and another 1500 USD for roro shipping from the East Coast of the USA to Helsinki Finland.

Thanks for all the help and if anyone has anything new to add please post the information.
Phil.

Louie

I bought my GT through a Dutch importer who had it first inspected and registered in Germany. Next, a second "Single Vehicle Approval" inspection was needed in The Netherlands, before the car could be registered with Dutch plates.
To answer your question, Ford doesn't issue a COC for the Mustang and the "grey import" is the only solution so far for us here in the EU.

jgsmuzzy

Phil,

Once VAT has been paid in one MS, another MS cannot charge it again. It is against the "Freedom of movement of goods and services" act. So pay VAT in whichever state you bring it into, and that is it, you cannot be charged again.

HTH

James