Dimitrijeska-Kochoska: Customs Reduction to 50 % of the level of those applicable in the EU

Amendments to the Law on Customs Tariffs should reduce 67 customs rates for certain goods that are used in the domestic industry as raw materials or raw materials-Finance Minister Gordana Dimitrioska-Kochoska said.

-The liability predicts a decrease in customs rates to 50 percent of the level of EU customs rates, which will also contribute to greater compliance with the EU Customs Tariff and Customs Rates, and given the rules of the World Trade Organization and we are a member of the World Trade Organization, Question of MP Dejan Prodanovski from VMRO-DPMNE.

He emphasized that the changes will provide more favorable conditions for export -oriented companies and gradually harmonize with customs rates applied in the European Union. The changes have been made and harmonized in consultation with the Chamber of Commerce. It is to meet the business sector because the goal is to increase the competitiveness of domestic companies exporting to foreign markets, to increase exports and foreign exchange inflow.

The bill will, among other things, reduce the customs rate and for lithium ion batteries for storing electricity, which, he said, is especially important and required by the chambers.

-The import that was made by certain companies was at 15 percent customs rates, and we as a state, especially when we have increased electricity production from photovoltaic power plants, is in the interest of having as much capacity or investing in batteries that will store energy. It was also one of the reactions of all three chambers and here we reconciled and said there is no more 15 percent payment of import duties for lithium ion batteries used for energy batteries but we go at a rate of 2.7 percent – the minister said.

It also said that amendments were further proposed to abolish customs rates for US -born goods.

-The complete liberalization of US -born goods imports will lead to increased competition in the domestic market, while in international trade unilateral customs rates sends an economic message to speed up the reciprocity process in international trade. Although direct trade with the United States is not great, the United States is also a strategic partners of our country and co-operation with them is significant from every aspect that Macedonia is ready to expand and deepen the close partnership between the two countries-said Dimitrija-Kochoska.

Regarding the reactions that we will have free imports without import duties, she said that in the economy « we must always keep in mind who the partner is on the other side ».

« I think that it can only contribute more and provide more competition than the import we are making from other countries, » the Minister of Finance added.