Turkish exporters furious over Syria’s new customs tariffs, while truck queues extend

A crisis is unfolding at Türkiye’s border with Syria following the new Syrian administration’s tariff hikes of up to 300% on imports from Türkiye, resulting in a halt to Turkish exports, with thousands of vehicles stranded and queues extending over 6 kilometers (3.72 miles).

Chairman of the Southeastern Anatolia Cereal, Pulses, Oil Seeds, and Products Exporters’ Association, Celal Kadooglu, reported that over 3,000 trucks and trailers are waiting at border gates, calling for urgent action.

Kadooglu pointed out ongoing discussions with Türkiye’s Ministry of Trade and Ministry of Foreign Affairs but noted that no tangible progress has been made. “There’s no quick fix for this issue, as Syria is undergoing a restructuring process,” Kadooglu remarked.

Over 3,000 trucks are waiting at border gates

As of earlier this week, 517 vehicles were reported waiting at the Cobanbey border gate, 370 at Oncupinar, and 364 at Karkamis, meanwhile, the Akcakale and Ceylanpinar gates remain under the control of the Syrian National Army and have not yet transitioned to Syrian central government oversight.

Kadooglu highlighted that the Cilvegozu gate has over 1,800 vehicles waiting, while 200 trucks are queued at the Zeytindali gate, bringing the total to over 3,250 vehicles.

Tuncay Yildirim, Chairmen of the Gaziantep Chamber of Commerce, expressed concern over the severe impact on Gaziantep’s economy, a city heavily reliant on trade with Syria. Speaking to business-focused ekonomim.com, “Even during Syria’s civil war, it ranked among our top five export destinations. In 2024, our exports to Syria rose by 8%, nearing half a billion dollars,” Yildirim highlighted the significance of exports to Syria.

“However, these tax hikes will significantly reduce export volumes, potentially making trade unfeasible and undermining Turkish exporters’ competitiveness,” Yildirim warned, cautioning that the situation could lead to increased informal trade and security risks.

Seyyid Akan, chairman of Gaziantep-based Akanlar Chocolate, described the crisis as paralyzing, remarking that the Syrian administration’s abrupt decision will result in the closure of many Syrian businesses, especially in Idlib and Aleppo. “Previously, a ton of our goods crossed the border at $40; now, it costs $400. This situation makes exporting impossible,” Akan explained. “The tax increase should have been implemented gradually, but this sudden change without prior notice has brought trade to a standstill,” Akan criticized the Syrian administration.

New customs tariffs hit Turkish exports hard

On Jan. 11, the Syrian government introduced a unified customs duty system across all border crossings, drastically impacting trade with Türkiye.

Previously, customs duties varied across regions, with the Assad-controlled areas imposing high tariffs on goods from Jordan, Iraq, and Lebanon, while opposition-controlled Bab al-Hawa maintained much lower rates. The new system has standardized these duties, causing tariffs on Turkish goods to spike by up to 300%.

This sharp increase has significantly raised costs, severely disrupting trade and affecting vital export sectors such as grains, legumes, oilseeds, and other food products, which form a major portion of Türkiye’s exports to Syria.