Communication - Press
Embargo on Turkish products
Armenia imports around $ 300 million worth of products from Turkey each year.
The Chamber of Commerce and Industry France Armenia, the Belgian Chamber of Commerce and Industry as well as the European Chamber of Commerce support the proposal of the Armenian Minister of Economy to temporarily ban imports of products manufactured and assembled in Turkey .
It is no longer acceptable today to reconcile economic interests with politico-military interference. Our Chambers of Commerce and Industry are at the disposal of the Armenian government for any action that would contribute to the achievement of this objective.
Indeed, a considerable part of Turkish products on the Armenian market are counterfeit French brands of ready-to-wear, leather goods, perfumes, hygiene products and cleaning products.
No sector of economic activity today is spared and the range of counterfeit products continues to diversify.
Our French, French-speaking and European business partners are ready to invest in Armenia as well as to export their products and know-how so that they are sold at the same final selling price as products imported from Turkey.
In order to facilitate their entry and supplant Turkish products, we propose to apply a reduction in customs duties on these products while significantly increasing the duties on Turkish products.
We already welcome the initiative of some Armenian retailers who have chosen to ban products from Turkey from their shelves. We are at their disposal to support them in this transition.
We would also like to thank Saudi Arabia for deciding at the outset of the Turco-Azeri military offensive on a total embargo on all products imported from Turkey. These represent an annual amount of 3.5 billion dollars. The value of the Turkish Lira collapsed by 20% following the announcement.
Felix PAYTYAN
Executive Director of Belgian Armenian Chamber of Commerce (BACC)
Tigran ARAKELIAN
President of Chamber of Commerce and Industry France Armenia (CCI FA)
Diana SARUMOVA
Executive Director European Business Association (EBA)