Skopje, 2 June 2025 (MIA) – The government at its latest session passed a bill on amending the Law on Customs Tariff to reduce customs duties of 67 goods used in the domestic industry. The bill has been already forwarded to Parliament in order the lowered customs duties to enter into force starting July 1, 2025. It involves goods that as raw materials are used in our industrial capacities, mainly in the automotive, metal processing industry, metallurgy and energy, i.e. goods needed to produce final products so as to increase the export competitiveness of the national industry, Finance Minister Gordana Dimitrieska – Kochoska said Monday.

As of July 1, she said, under the amendments, customs duties will drop by 50 percent of the difference between our current customs duties and the customs duties for these goods in the EU. For example, according to the Minister, if the customs rate for certain goods in our country is 20 percent, and 10 percent in the EU, under the proposed amendments the rate is reduced to 15 percent, with a tendency for further alignment in the future.

“At the same time, the amendments will allow us to fully align with the customs duties applied in the EU for lithium-ion batteries for storing electricity in the energy sector. As of July 1, the customs rate for them will be reduced from 15 percent to 2.7 percent, which will directly help the energy sector. This is because batteries are becoming a key element in energy balancing, system services, as well as in planning the transmission of energy from renewable energy sources to the grid in order to maintain the stability of the system, but also to ensure the feasibility of renewable projects,” Dimitrieska – Kochoska told a news conference Monday.

The proposed amendments, she added, aim at increasing the competitiveness of local companies exporting goods on foreign markets as a way to boost Macedonian exports and at securing a rising inflow of foreign currencies. These measures designed to cut down the costs of companies, according to her, will also contribute to bolstering investments and job creation, one of the government’s priorities, so as to record higher economic growth rates.

“The amendments to the Law on Customs Tariff were made in consultation with the chambers of commerce and are part of our commitment to maintaining an inclusive relationship and partnership with the business community in order to create a better business environment. It represents a continuation of the customs policy of reducing customs rates on the highly prioritized raw materials and intermediate goods used in the processing industry. This amendment helps implement the Government's Work Program 2024-2028 referring to its commitment to gradual alignment of customs duties with the rates applied in the European Union, adapted to the export-import needs of the economy and the state. It also complements all measures and policies that we are taking to support the domestic economy through investments in the public and private sectors to achieve higher growth rates and ensure a higher standard of living,” said the Finance Minister.

In this context, she noted, under the amendments we’ve proposed full liberalization of import of goods originating from the United States, i.e., cancelling customs tariffs arriving in our country from the United States. By doing so, we believe we will contribute to boosting the competitiveness of the domestic market, while by lowering customs tariffs unilaterally we’re sending a message to accelerate the process of reciprocity in trading of goods.

“The United States is a strategic partner of our country and our cooperation is important from every aspect due to which the government is prepared to expand and deepen close partnership between the two countries based on joint goals, interest and values and to establish a permanent cooperation based on mutual interest. This government’s priority is to create policies establishing a favourable and predictable business environment for all companies, including local and foreign companies, so as to build a strong economy,” concluded Dimitrieska – Kochoska.  

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