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Osmani asks the Kosovo government to suspend customs tariffs on imports from the US

2025-04-03 21:25:23 / KOSOVA ALFA PRESS

Osmani asks the Kosovo government to suspend customs tariffs on imports from the

Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani said on Thursday that she has asked the Kosovo Government to suspend the 10 percent customs tariff on goods from the United States, a day after US President Donald Trump imposed a similar tariff on imports from Kosovo.

Osmani said that suspending the tariff on American goods would be "an important step in deepening economic relations with our closest ally."

According to her, this would also send "a clear message: Kosovo is ready for a stronger relationship with the United States, with a clear vision that would make our two countries stronger, safer, and more prosperous."

On Wednesday evening, Trump imposed a 10 percent base tariff on imports from all countries around the world, including Kosovo and other Western Balkan countries.

Trump's decision sparked reactions everywhere, and the American Chamber of Commerce in Kosovo (ACCC) and the President of the Kosovo Chamber of Commerce, Lulzim Rafuna, earlier called on Kosovo to withdraw the 10 percent tariff on imports from the US.

The President of the American Chamber of Commerce in Kosovo, Arian Zeka, told Radio Free Europe that the imposition of the tariff by the US will have an impact on the ability of Kosovo exporters and will reduce the competitive advantage of Kosovo products in the American market.

Meanwhile, Rafuna warned of the possibility of increased prices for Kosovar products exported to the US and, consequently, a decline in demand for them.

The Kosovo Prime Minister's Office and the Ministry of Industry, Entrepreneurship and Trade have not responded to Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty whether they are considering the possibility of withdrawing the tariff on American goods.

Meanwhile, the Kosovo Chamber of Commerce and Industry has awaited with concern the US president's decision to impose a basic tariff of 10 percent.

"This decision is expected to further hit exports, which from Kosovo to the US have decreased in recent months," the chamber's press release said.

Economic organizations in Kosovo say that since 2019, Kosovo's overall exports to the US have begun to increase.

This is also shown by Kosovo Customs data, according to which their value in 2019 was 3 million euros, while three years later it reached over 131 million.

Products that Kosovo exports to the US include: food, beverages, textiles, mattresses, but also wood and plastic products.

In addition to the basic tariff, the US president has also imposed higher tariffs on dozens of countries that have a trade surplus with the US, increasing the risk of a trade war and rising inflation./ REL

 

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