Trade Minister Ömer Bolat evaluated the US to bring high customs duties to many countries.
Minister Bolat, 10 percent of the tax rate to be applied to Türkiye as ‘the best of evil’ while evaluating “US Department of Commerce and Trade Representative 10 percent additional customs duty to remove the issue of negotiations.” he said.
The entire statement of Minister Bolat is as follows:
“A new trade policy based on the principle of reciprocity has been implemented by US President Trump on April 2, 2025, as previously announced, and the higher additional customs tariffs to be applied to various countries have been implemented.
In the US statement, it is stated that the US Industry, which is put into force against the countries where the US gives high foreign trade deficit and encountering some obstacles such as tariffs, aims to revitalize the US industry, to reduce foreign trade deficit and to direct foreign investments to the USA
In this context, the minimum additional customs duties rate to be applied to all countries by the US has been determined as 10 %and our country has been subjected to additional customs duties in the same 10 %imports. In this case, our country is in the group of countries where the lowest additional tax is applied.
On the other hand, 34 % to China, 20 % to the European Union, 46 % to Vietnam, 24 % to Malaysia, 29 % to Pakistan, 25 % for Korea, 26 % to India, 24 % to Japan, 36 % for Thailand, 49 % for Thailand, 30 % to South Africa and 25 % to G. Korea. In particular, high customs duties brought to the Far East Asian countries, where the US’s foreign trade deficit increases, draws attention.
US President Trump also announced in his statement that it was open to negotiations with all countries in relation to these high customs duties.
With the new applications of President Trump, the process of change in global supply chains is expected to accelerate. In this context, our country will intensify the trade activities of the US in the coming period and increase the collaborations within the principle of “Win Win” by making the right readings in the new trade order to be revealed by customs tariffs. What is true is that serious turmoil may occur with the US on a bilateral basis with the US, as well as in its own markets and export markets.
In this respect, as Türkiye, we will start to implement our preparations for various sectors such as textile, ready -to -wear, machinery, as well as comprehensive action plans such as the “Strategy of Far Countries”, including the USA. As a result of their implementation, opportunities will also emerge for further liberalization of trade between Türkiye and the United States.
The necessary dialogue has been initiated in the new period with the US, we are working for our 100 billion dollar trade volume target.
* Starting from January this year, we are meticulously monitoring all the decisions implemented by the US administration and we continue our dialogue with the US side at every level. Following the telephone conversation with US President Trump, our Deputy Minister of Trade held a meeting with the US Trade Representative. In this meeting, the road map in our commercial and economic relations with the US, issues related to the solution of mutual problems in trade and new steps that could be taken. In addition, in order to increase the trade and investment cooperation between the two countries, the meeting of the Trade and Investment Council (TIFA) was held as soon as possible. Personally, I will participate in the Turkish-American conference at Washington DC in mid-May, and on this occasion, I will hold official talks for the joint business plan in line with these targets with the US Trade Minister and the US Trade Representative (USTR).
* Our commercial relations with the US are growing. Our trade volume with the US increased by 4.7 %in 2024 to 35.2 billion dollars. While the share of the US in our exports in 2024 was 6.2 %, the US ranks 2nd among the countries we export the most. The US has a surplus of $ 2.4 billion in our mutual foreign trade in 2024. Our efforts will continue uninterruptedly in order to reach the $ 100 billion in the first period of our President and President Trump.
* As Türkiye, as with all countries, we strive to improve our trade with the United States and the economic cooperation in a balanced way within the framework of the win-win principle. In order to increase our commercial and economic relations with the USA, we will take steps that will frequent contacts in the coming period and facilitate and strengthen this process on the basis of sectors.
* Since the foreign trade between the two countries is 2.4 billion dollars in favor of the US for 2024, we would like to address the situation in the negotiations with the US Department of Commerce and Trade Representatives on the abolition of 10 %additional customs duties brought from Turkey to the US exported products. The US President had already stated that they were open to talks about these taxes yesterday.
* On the other hand, we consider the fact that the United States brought much higher customs tax rates to many countries as a number of “best of evil” for Türkiye in the US imports.
* In the light of the new developments that emerged yesterday, we will continue our trade relations against the US in the light of this principle and we will carry out our efforts to increase the economic relations of the two countries. “
