Turkiye lifts trade restrictions imposed on Syria under ousted regime

The Turkish Ministry of Trade has announced that restrictions imposed on Syria during the rule of the ousted regime have been lifted, making trade with the neighbouring country normal, like other countries in all aspects. The announcement was made in a formal statement on Tuesday.

The statement confirmed that according to a roadmap drawn up between Ankara and the new Syrian administration, Circular No. 2021/12 regarding customs services for trade between Turkiye and Syria has been lifted, after it had been in effect during the rule of the Bashar Al-Assad regime.

It added that a new circular was issued on 8 February, bearing the number 2025/4, and it will be the standard for regulating trade between Turkiye and Syria. The new circular stipulates lifting restriction regulations imposed on exports through the Turkish customs zone to Syria, as well as transit operations.

Accordingly, goods exported from Syria to Turkiye or sent through it in transit will be subject to the same conditions applied to other countries, through the land border crossings currently open between the two countries.

The new circular also stipulates that goods may be transited from Syria to other countries via Turkiye, with the exception of scrap metal.

Import procedures from Syria have also been normalised, and regulations on goods subject to authorisation prior to import, which were included in the cancelled circular, have been cancelled.

The ministry stated that the import system between Syria and Turkiye is now in line with Turkiye’s current foreign trade system.

“In other words, goods imported from Syria will be subject to the same conditions imposed on other countries, whether in terms of import regulations, product safety control procedures, or customs duties,” the statement concluded.

Earlier on Tuesday, the Syrian General Authority for Ports announced that Turkiye had lifted restrictions imposed on the export of Syrian goods and products.

READ: EU’s easing of sanctions on Syria a step in the right direction, Turkiye’s Erdogan tells France’s Macron