Turkey's textile sector warns US Section 301 tariff will burden exporters

İstanbul Sanayi Odası (İSO) Yönetim Kurulu Başkanı Erdal Bahçıvan said the United States’ Section 301 tariff introduces an additional 12.5% customs duty on Turkish textiles, ready‑made clothing and confection items that are not on the exemption list. He warned that this extra charge could lift total duties on those products to 25‑30%, creating a “systematic disadvantage” for Turkish manufacturers compared with competitors such as Bangladesh, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Pakistan and India, which receive tariff reductions, while the EU, Taiwan, Japan, South Korea and Switzerland face caps.

Bahçıvan stressed that the measure goes beyond a simple tax increase; it threatens the cost‑competitiveness of Turkey’s long‑standing, trust‑based supply relationship with US buyers. He called for comprehensive negotiations covering tariffs, tariff‑rate quotas, rules of origin and other trade‑related issues to restore a fair, balanced trading environment for the Turkish textile and apparel sector.