Syria to cut customs duties on 269 Turkish exports: Trade Minister
A drone captures kilometers-long queues of Turkish export trucks from Hatay to Syria after the 61-year Baath regime's fall lifted the import ban, in Hatay, Türkiye, on Jan. 20, 2025. (IHA Photo)
Syria agreed to reduce customs duties on 269 products exported by Türkiye, including food items, iron and steel and hygiene products.
Speaking at the World Customs Day celebration held at the Trade Ministry, Omer Bolat said a new chapter has been opened in Türkiye-Syria relations following the collapse of the Assad regime in Syria.
Bolat explained that earlier this month, he held a video conference meeting with Syria’s Minister of Economy and Foreign Trade Basil Abdul Hannan to exchange views. He noted that mutual visits will take place once institutional structures are fully in place.
Foods, construction materials, and hygiene products
Bolat recalled that Deputy Minister Mustafa Tuzcu recently conducted a video conference with Qutaiba Badawi, head of Syria’s Land and Sea Borders Authority, regarding Syria’s implementation of a unified customs regime, which came into effect on Jan. 11, as he also visited Damascus last week to continue discussions.
“In discussions with Syria’s economy and trade ministries, it was agreed to review customs duties on certain products,” Bolat said. “As of this week, Syria has decided to reduce customs duties on 269 key products we export to the country, including chicken eggs, flour, corn, milk, cream, various iron and steel items, and hygiene products,” he added.-
On Jan. 11, the Syrian government introduced a unified customs duty system across all border crossings, causing tariffs on imported goods to spike by up to 300%.
