Used Vehicles and the Environment: Global Overview of Used Light Duty Vehicles: Flow, Scale and Regulation - Key Findings

This document synthesizes global evidence on the trade and regulation of used light-duty vehicles, detailing export volumes, destinations, policy gaps, and related environmental and safety risks. It reports that the EU, Japan, and the USA exported 14 million used vehicles in 2015–2018, with most shipments to developing markets across Africa, Eastern Europe, Asia-Pacific, the Middle East, and Latin America. Two-thirds of 146 importing countries have weak or very weak import policies; few apply emissions standards, enabling obsolete and unsafe vehicles to flow downstream. Case studies of Kenya, the Netherlands, and Mauritius show how age limits, emissions requirements, taxes, and inspections shape fleet quality. The document recommends harmonized rules, progressive tightening this decade, promotion of low- and zero-emission imports, and robust compliance mechanisms.