US Imposes Additional 12.5% Tariff On Turkish Apparel Exports
The Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) has announced additional customs duties ranging from 10% to 12.5% on imports from 60 trading partners following investigations under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 related to the enforcement of restrictions on goods produced through forced labour.
Türkiye has been assigned an additional tariff rate of 12.5%, a move expected to impact the country’s textile and apparel sector significantly.
According to Turkish business daily Ekonomi, an earlier draft proposal released in June had suggested the introduction of tariff-rate quotas (TRQs) for textile and apparel products from selected countries, raising expectations that Türkiye could be included in the programme.
However, the final USTR decision granted TRQ benefits only to Bangladesh, Cambodia, Indonesia and Malaysia. Textile and apparel exports from these countries that fall within the designated quota limits will be exempt from the new Section 301 duties.
Türkiye was not included in the exemption mechanism, meaning Turkish textile and apparel exports to the United States will be subject to the additional 12.5% tariff.
While the measure has officially come into effect, key implementation details are still pending. Industry stakeholders are awaiting further guidance from the USTR through Federal Register notices, which are expected to clarify product coverage, eligibility for exemptions, and the quota volumes applicable to beneficiary countries.
The decision is likely to intensify competitive pressures on Turkish exporters in the US market, particularly as rival apparel-producing nations benefit from preferential tariff treatment under the new framework.
