VZCZCXYZ0001
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHTU #2763 3191615
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 151615Z NOV 06
FM AMEMBASSY TUNIS
TO RUCPDOC/USDOC WASHDC
INFO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 2219

UNCLAS TUNIS 002763 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
USDOC FOR 6132/MAS/MFG/OHCG/SFRANCIS 
STATE FOR NEA/MAG (HARRIS) AND EB/CBA (WINSTEAD) 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: BEXP EIND ETRD TS
 
SUBJECT: GLOBAL IMPORT REGULATIONS FOR USED MEDICAL EQUIPMENT 
 
REF: USDOC 06212 
 
¶1. Post submits the information below in response to reftel.  The 
Tunisian Ministry of Commerce has supplied updated information 
concerning the import of used medical equipment into Tunisia. 
 
¶2. Current regulations and practices are as follows: 
 
   ¶A. There is no statutory prohibition on the import of used 
equipment of any type, including medical equipment, but all such 
imports are subject to an import license and strict technical 
controls upon entry into the country. 
 
   ¶B. This applies to both the private and public sectors, although 
in practice the public sector does not import used equipment of any 
type.  However, private sector projects benefiting from the fiscal 
and legal incentives granted by the government's investment 
promotion agencies (API - Agence de Promotion de l'Industrie and 
FIPA - Foreign Investment Promotion Agency) may be permitted to 
import used equipment as part of a foreign investor's 
contribution-in-kind to the capital of the project.  This is dealt 
with on a case-by-case basis. 
 
¶3. As previously stated in the 2006 Global Import Regulations for 
Used Medical Equipment Report, Tunisian restrictions are minimal but 
importation of used equipment is difficult.  There is a strong 
preference for the guarantees and after-sales service that come with 
new equipment.  Local banks that finance private industrial products 
normally require that purchased equipment be new.  Given the 
difficulty of assessing the true ease of entry for used equipment 
and the general Tunisian preference for new items, however, the 
Tunisian market is not well suited for used/refurbished U.S. medical 
equipment exports. 
 
GODEC