The Turkish government on Tuesday announced that it had decreased the rate of import tax on goods entering the country from the north to 30 per cent – the same rate paid on goods arriving from the European Union.

The new tax applies to items with a value not exceeding €1,500 imported into the country by individuals, to products sent by post, and to goods transported by cargo, and has come into effect immediately.

Previously, goods entering Turkey from the north were taxed at a rate of 60 per cent.

The move to tax items coming from the north comes after the country had increased its import tax rate on goods entering from the EU from 18 per cent to 30 per cent in August, while also reducing the tax-free allowance on overseas express shopping from sites such as Temu from €150 to €30.

At the time, the country’s Trade Minister Omer Bolat had hinted at fresh regulations concerning Temu and other cheap online shopping platforms.