Turkish Minister of Trade Ömer Bolat announced on Monday that Syria has decided to reduce tariffs on nearly 270 products imported from Turkey, just days after the two countries agreed to reassess customs duties.
During an event in Ankara, Bolat stated:
“As of this week, Syria has decided to reduce customs duties on 269 products that are among our top exports to this country, including food items such as chicken eggs, flour, corn, milk and cream, as well as some iron and steel products, in addition to health-related products.”
His remarks followed an announcement by the Turkish Ministry of Trade on Friday that the two countries had agreed to reassess customs duties on certain products and had held discussions on economic and trade relations during meetings in Damascus.
Earlier this month, reports indicated that Syria had raised customs duties by between 300% and 500%, including on Turkish imports, leading to truck congestion stretching several kilometers at border crossings between the two countries.
However, the Turkish Ministry of Trade confirmed that the new customs system, which came into effect on January 11, was not exclusive to Turkish goods but was applied equally across all border crossings and customs administrations.
In this regard, Bolat stated:
“There is no decision specifically targeting Turkey as some claim, and these allegations are baseless.”
Officials also agreed during the meetings in Damascus to begin negotiations to reinstate the Free Trade Agreement (FTA), which had been suspended in 2011 following the outbreak of the Syrian civil war. The ministry explained that the new approach aims to establish a broader economic partnership between the two countries.
Turkey’s Role in Syria’s Reconstruction
Turkey has been the main supporter of opposition forces that toppled Bashar al-Assad’s rule last month, and since then, Ankara has pledged to contribute to Syria’s reconstruction and economic recovery.
Following Assad’s downfall, officials expressed optimism that trade volume between Turkey and Syria could reach $10 billion in the near future.
Trade Volume Between the Two Countries
In 2010, trade volume between Turkey and Syria reached $2.3 billion, according to data from the Turkish Statistical Institute (TurkStat). However, following the outbreak of the civil war in 2011, Syria’s economy collapsed rapidly, severely impacting trade with Turkey.
By 2012, trade between the two countries had dropped to $565 million. Although it increased in subsequent years, it has not returned to pre-2011 levels.
According to TurkStat, Turkey exported goods worth approximately $2 billion to Syria in 2024, with the main exported products including wheat, iron and steel products, and cement.
On Friday, Bolat revealed that he had held a video meeting earlier this month with Basil Abdul Hanan, Syria’s Minister of Economy and Foreign Trade, and expressed expectations of reciprocal visits once institutions in Syria stabilize.
