On June 28, 2024, the Turkish Ministry of Trade issued Announcement No. 2024/7, making a final ruling on the safeguard measures on imported corrugated paper. The final ruling recommends that a three-year safeguard tax be imposed on the products involved. The specific tax standards are as follows:

• The first year's tax rate is US$87 per ton
• The tax rate for the second year is US$86/ton
• The tax rate for the third year is US$85/ton

The implementation of this decision is subject to the relevant presidential decree. At the same time, this announcement abolishes the preliminary ruling on safeguard measures determined in Announcement No. 2024/5 issued on March 20, 2024.

Scope of products involved

The safeguard measures cover the following types of corrugated paper:

• Semi-chemical straw cellulose cellulose
• Secondary fiber corrugated paper (Turkish: ?kincil elyaf (Wellenstoff))
• Other corrugated paper (Turkish: Di?erleri)

These products include cardboard with a weight of less than or equal to 150 grams per square meter and cardboard with a weight of more than 150 grams per square meter. The specific Turkish tax numbers are as follows:

• 4805.12.00.00.00
• 4805.19.10.00.00
• 4805.19.90.00.00
• 4805.24.00.00.00
• 4805.25.00.00.00

Background

On January 12, 2024, the Turkish Ministry of Trade issued Announcement No. 2024/1, announcing that it would initiate a safeguard investigation on imported corrugated paper at the request of domestic producers in Turkey. After a preliminary investigation, the Turkish Ministry of Trade issued Announcement No. 2024/5 on March 20, 2024, making a preliminary ruling on the safeguard measures on imported corrugated paper, and preliminarily ruled to impose a temporary safeguard tax of US$200/ton on the products involved. The temporary measure is valid for 200 days and will be implemented in accordance with the relevant resolutions of the President.

Final decision and implementation

After further detailed investigation and analysis, the Turkish Ministry of Trade made a final ruling, determined a lower tariff rate than the initial ruling, and recommended the implementation of a three-year safeguard duty on the products involved. The specific tariff rate decreases year by year, aiming to balance the need to protect domestic industries and maintain market competition:

• The first year's tax rate is US$87 per ton
• The tax rate for the second year is US$86/ton
• The tax rate for the third year is US$85/ton

This measure will be officially implemented after approval by the relevant presidential decree, and the announcement will take effect from the date of publication.

Impact and Outlook

The implementation of the safeguard measures is aimed at protecting domestic corrugated paper producers in Turkey from unfair competition from imported products, while providing the local industry with a chance to breathe and adjust. These measures are expected to have a certain impact on the price of imported corrugated paper, which may increase the price of corrugated paper in the Turkish market, thereby affecting the production costs of related industries.

However, these measures may also cause Turkish importers to look for other sources of supply or push domestic producers to improve production efficiency and product quality to cope with the new market environment. In the long run, the implementation of safeguard measures will help enhance the competitiveness of Turkey's corrugated paper industry, but it is also necessary to pay close attention to international market trends and domestic market reactions and adjust policies in a timely manner.

In short, this decision of the Turkish Ministry of Trade reflects its efforts to maintain domestic industrial interests and market balance. Future market reactions and policy adjustments will further affect the development path of the industry.