Minister of Trade Ömer Bolat stated that they consider the US customs duties as a necessary evil for Turkey.

Minister of Trade Ömer Bolat made a written statement regarding the US additional customs duty decision.

Bolat noted that the US has set the minimum additional customs duty rate to 10% for all countries, placing Turkey in the group of countries with the lowest additional tax rates. Minister Bolat said, “We consider the situation where the US imposes much higher customs duty rates on many countries as a somewhat necessary evil for Turkey in terms of US imports.” He also mentioned that in light of the new developments, they will continue their trade relations with the US based on this principle, and work towards increasing the economic relations between the two countries. Bolat also pointed out that any country facing additional customs duties from the US may encounter significant disruptions in their bilateral relations with the US, as well as in their domestic markets and export sectors.

Bolat stated that the necessary dialogue with the US has been initiated in the new era, and they are working towards reaching the $100 billion trade volume target. He expressed their intention to discuss the removal of the 10% additional customs duties imposed on products exported from Turkey to the US with the US Department of Commerce and the Trade Representative, citing the $2.4 billion surplus in favor of the US in bilateral trade between the two countries by 2024 as the basis for this move.