Syrian government to reconsider raising the free zone transit fees

The Syrian government is reconsidering the decision to raise the transit fees in the free zones in order to deal with it soon, according to the pro-government newspaper Al-Watan. 

Where the paper stressed that the Syrian government is working on a decision to raise the transit fees in order to find a solution for its negative results, in cooperation with all the concerned parties in this matter, especially the Ministry of Transport. 

The cairman of the Higher Committee for Investors in Free Zones, Fahd Darwish told the newspaper that the decision of the Ministry of Transport to raise transit fees in the free zones “hindered the export and production process and contributed in increasing the prices of local products”. 

He pointed out that when the Ministry of Transport issued this decision, it didn’t take the opinion of the customs or the opinion of those concerned in the free zones, pointing out that the fees had prevented the entry of many goods to the free zones.

He added that the work in Adra Free Zone “was negatively affected by this decision because of the high fees”, stressing that the Ministry of Transport “didn’t consider this decision and its negative effects on the investment in the free zones, as it should”. 

He also said that: “The opinion of the Union of Chambers of Commerce and Industry hasn’t been taken, and that this decision has negative repercussions which harms the national economy and the export process”.  

In September 2018, the Syrian Ministry of Transport raised the fees for land transit for Syrian, Arab and foreign loaded and empty trucks when crossing inside Syrian territories, while maintaining the value of seaport fees.  

The formula was as follows: “Vehicle weight x mileage x 10% = value in dollars”, while the previous rate was 2%, while for the transport through seaports, the equation and the ratio remained as it was before 2%.