Syria slashes tariffs on 269 Turkish goods to ease trade tensions
Syria has reduced customs duties on Turkish products this week following consultations with a Turkish delegation last week, Turkish Trade Minister Omer Bolat stated on Monday.
Earlier this month, the new Syrian government raised customs duties on Turkish imports by up to 300 percent, aiming to unify rates across its borders. This move resulted in a complete halt to trade with Turkey, sparking frustration among Turkish exporters and some Syrian businesspeople.
Turkey's annual exports to Syria total approximately $2bn.
On Friday, the Turkish trade ministry announced that Damascus had agreed to review the customs duties applied to Turkish exports to address disruptions and restore trade in the coming weeks.
Bolat expressed regret that the customs regime, implemented by Syria on 11 January and intended as a "common and unified system for the entire world," had been misinterpreted by certain groups. He emphasised that "malicious distortions" of the policy had caused public confusion.
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'As of this week, Syria has decided to reduce customs duties on 269 products, including key Turkish exports such as chicken, eggs, flour, corn, milk, cream, iron and steel products, and hygiene goods,' Bolat announced during an event in Ankara.
Turkey has long had a significant role in Syria, backing opposition groups for over 13 years and carrying out incursions against Syrian Kurdish groups linked to Turkey's banned PKK.
Recently, Ankara has sought closer ties with Syria's new administration, following the collapse of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's regime in December.
Ankara also revealed that both nations are working to revive a pre-civil war free trade agreement and to allow Turkish companies to operate across Syria, aiding reconstruction efforts and the restoration of essential services.
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