Paraguay's Senate decided to postpone for another week the vote on a bill that exempts the import of specialized vehicles donated or purchased by volunteer firefighter institutions from taxes and fees. The proposal, which was on the agenda for the extraordinary session on Wednesday, provides for exemption from VAT, import customs duty, customs clearance fee, and any other tax levied on the entry of these goods.
Finance and Budget Committee Chairman Senator Silvio Ovelar requested an eight-day postponement, arguing that the national director of the National Tax Revenue Directorate (DNIT), Óscar Orué, did not attend the meeting where he was to give his opinion as a concerned institution. The Legislation, Codification, Justice, and Labor Committee has already issued an unfavorable opinion on the proposal.
The bill was approved by the Chamber of Deputies on December 29, 2025, and under the rules, it will be automatically enacted on May 31, 2026, which reduces the time for deliberation. The measure covers fire trucks, rescue vehicles, rapid intervention units, emergency ambulances, and any other vehicle used exclusively by firefighters.