Yemen Customs Imposes Import Surcharge on 71 Kinds of Commodities

In order to guarantee the stability of Yemen's currency - Riyal, thus preventing further economic deterioration, Yemen's Government decided at the end of March 2010 to impose import surcharge on 71 kinds of commodities, with the aim of stimulating the sales of home-made products by restraining the demand for their import, involving not only non-basic commodities such as autos, motorcycles, bicycles, cigarettes, tabacoo, perfumes, cosmetics, building materials, cleaning supplies and electric appliances, etc., but also basic commodities related to the people's livelihood such as fresh and canned vegetables, grains, milk, cheese, honey, edible oils, canned fish, desserts, biscuits and beverages, etc., excluding milk powders for industrial use. Now, an import surcharge from 5 percent to 15 percent shall be imposed on all of the 71 kinds of commodities no more than 5 percent in normal tariff, with enterprises' costs in export bound to increase.