Türkiye on Friday said it was engaged in negotiations with Syria after the interim authorities of the war-torn nation overhauled the tariff system and reportedly dramatically increased customs duties on imports.
In a statement, Türkiye's Trade Ministry said the new Syrian government had adopted a unified taxation system effective Jan. 11, set to be applied at all border crossings and customs points throughout the country.
A day earlier, local media reports said kilometers-long truck lines piled up near border crossings between the two nations after the new government raised tariffs by up to 300% on imports from Türkiye.
Over 3,000 trucks and trailers were reported to be waiting at the borders, with the line stretching over 6 kilometers (over 3.5 miles), private broadcaster CNBC-e said.
The Trade Ministry said the new system in Syria was being applied uniformly at all border crossings and customs administrations.
It said consultations with Syrian authorities on customs duties were held on Thursday, adding that negotiations would continue next week, with an in-person meeting planned.
It still said both countries have expressed a mutual interest in "establishing a new and more comprehensive free trade agreement."
Türkiye has been the main backer of the opposition forces that ousted longtime dictator Bashar Assad last month and has since pledged to help Syria's reconstruction and economic revival.
Following Assad's fall, officials expressed optimism that the trade volume between Türkiye and Syria could reach $10 billion in the near future.
The volume stood at $2.3 billion in 2010, according to the Turkish Statistical Institute (TurkStat), before the civil war broke out. Syria's economic structure rapidly collapsed as of 2011 due to the war, which severely impacted goods exchange with Türkiye.
In 2012, the trade volume plummeted to $565 million. It increased over the years but never achieved pre-2011 levels. According to the TurkStat data, Türkiye exported goods worth over $1.95 billion to Syria in 2024.
The Trade Ministry on Friday said Türkiye was actively working to ensure access to needed products for the Syrian people and to support the country's reconstruction. It mentioned that discussions on trade, customs, and foreign policy with Syria would continue.
"We reiterate once again that we are ready to cooperate with our Syrian brothers and sisters toward common goals," the statement said.
