American Chamber of Commerce demands that Kosovo remove tariffs on goods from the US

The American Chamber of Commerce in Kosovo (ACCC) has requested that the Government of Kosovo withdraw the 10 percent customs tariff on goods from the United States of America.

This request comes after the decision of US President Donald Trump to impose a basic tariff of 10 percent on imports from all countries in the world, including Kosovo and other Western Balkan countries.

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 affect the ability of Kosovo exporters and will reduce the competitive advantage of Kosovo products in the American market.

"If Kosovo moves forward unilaterally by taking a preferential trade measure, completely withdrawing the customs tariff on American products, we can hope that the same step will be followed and removed by the American administration," Zeka told REL.

Radio Free Europe has asked the Office of the Prime Minister of Kosovo and the Ministry of Industry, Entrepreneurship and Trade whether this request will be reviewed and what the possibilities are for withdrawing this fee, but these institutions have not yet responded.

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.

The Chamber of Commerce and Industry has called on the Government of Kosovo to come to the aid of businesses affected by this decision.

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 the decision made public on April 2, in addition to the basic tariff, US President Donald Trump 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/