Turkish Ministry of Trade Updates Customs Duties and Import Rules for 18 Products

The Turkish Ministry of Trade has published new regulations in the Official Gazette, making interim changes to the 2026 import regime. Under these changes, additional customs duties and surveillance measures have been updated for 18 different products. Notably, an additional tax per ton has been introduced for PET resin imports. The regulation is expected to subject importers to stricter rules for certain products. The Ministry stated that this step was taken to protect domestic production and maintain trade balance. The new measures may increase import costs, creating price pressure in some sectors. Economic circles predict that these changes will particularly impact the plastics and petrochemical industries. The tax increase on raw materials such as PET resin could be reflected in final product prices. Additionally, the expansion of surveillance measures may prolong import processes. The Ministry of Trade's move is seen as part of a strategy to reduce import dependency and support domestic producers. However, in the short term, importing firms are expected to face cost increases. This is not investment advice.