Distributing a product

Market shares

Companies that have their own distribution network are rare. Most products are sold in bazaars, groceries and specialized shops. But shopping centers and multi-brand stores are starting to appear in Damascus which could make good distribution relays, especially for top of the range products.

Organizations in the retail sector

We can identify professional tradeshows on your sector.

Market access procedures

International Conventions

International economic cooperation

The country is part of the Greater Arab Free Trade Area (GAFTA), a pact of the Arab League entered into force in January 2005 which aims to form an Arabic free trade area. Syria also signed a bilateral free trade agreement with Turkey and started negotiations for an Association Agreement with the EU in October 2004, but final signatures are still pending.

Non tariff barriers

Imports are subject to a licensing system and some products are prohibited to import.

Customs duties and taxes on imports

The Syrian government is working to harmonize its import tariffs and custom duties, trying to adapt them to the WTO standards. The countries that do not have a trade agreement with Syria are subject to a system of progressive tax rates. This customs duties vary between 1 and 200%. The average is 25%. Raw materials are taxed at 5-10%, equipment for industry 10-20%, foodstuffs 1-15%, and machines 30-60%. Tourism vehicles weighting under one tonne are taxed 150%. A surtax is levied on products meant to be sold to military barracks, schools and local councils. This surtax is between 6 and 35%.  Customs duties, which were practically prohibitive until now, are being reviewed and lowered in the context of an agreement of association between Syria and the European Union and Syria's eventual membership to the WTO. In this context, customs formalities have been simplified and the list of prohibited import products has been reduced. 

Since 2006, the customs laws have been relaxed thanks to the establishment of an automated system. The customs declarations are computerized and the database is updated on a daily basis.  Unfortunately, the crisis context had a disastrous effect in the modernization of the system: In February 2009, the government officially proceeded to raise customs duties for cottons and established a minimum price for imported clothing, also eliminated certain taxes for exporters in order to protect the Syrian textile market.

Customs classification

The Convention on the Harmonized System came into force in the Syrian Arab Republic on January 1st 2009.

Import procedures

All goods imported from abroad are subject to the payment of duties and taxes. Customs duties vary depending on the need of the product, which is estimated by the Syrian Government. The new system is based on the customs value determination which is the compromise value. Simplified, it allows a faster treatment of dispatched goods and a certain transparency regarding the assessment and the right to recourse to the decisions taken by the customs institutions. Applications for licenses are carried out at the Syrian Federation of Chambers of Commerce, through the services of the Embassies in the country of origin. For further information, consult the website for Customs legislation.

Importing samples

The Syrian Customs authorities allow commercial samples to enter the country. These samples must be re-exported within six months.

For further information

Syrian Investment Agency
Federation of Syrian Chambers of Commerce

We can indicate you which are the customs duties applied to your product.

Find out the local taxes that apply to your product.

Organizing goods transport

Main useful means of transport

The means of transportation mostly used for the transportation of goods is the train (2,750 kms. of railway). However, the network is getting old and is relatively slow.

Ports

Port of Baniyas
Port of Jablah
Port of Latakia
Port of Tartus

Airports

Aleppo International Airport
Bassel Al Assad International Airport Latakia
Damascus International Airport
Deir-Ez-Zor Airport
Kamishly Airport

Sea transport organizations

Syrian Ministry of Transport

Air transport organizations

Syrian Ministry of Transport

Road transport organizations

Syrian Ministry of Transport

Rail transport organizations

General Establishment of Syrian Railways

Get a ballpark figure for transportation costs for your product in this country through a shipping estimate.

Identifying a supplier

Type of production

Industry represents more than 20% of the active population and 10% of GDP. Industry is mostly controlled by the State (60% of GDP and 80% of heavy investments). The main industrial sectors are:
- Textiles: the manufacturing industry is concentrated in textiles (manufacturing 30% of GDP, exports 15%);
- Agri-food;
- Construction and Building and Public Works;
- Oil refining;
- Metallurgy;
- The handicrafts sector is also important, especially leather crafts and the fabrication of carpets.

Business directories

Syria Business
Yellow Pages Syria

">Traders and Businessmen in Syria
Made in Syria
Dalylak
Syrian Guide
Syriaexpo

Manufacturers associations of the main industries

The Arab Union for Leather Industries
Syrian Textile Manufacturers Association

Trade Agencies and their representations abroad

Damascus Chamber of Industry
Federation of Chambers of Commerce in Syria
Syria Enterprise and Business Center
Chamber of Commerce of Damascus

Enterprises federation

Syrian Business Council

Standards

National standards organizations

SASMO

Integration in the international standards network

Syria is a member of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), of the International Organization of Legal Metrology (OIML), of the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and of the CODEX Alimentarius Commission.

Classification of standards

There is an organization which is in charge of drawing up standards (450 of them). Current standards are close to French standards and to those of the United Nations Organization. The ISO 9000 standards correspond to Syrian standards: 1147, 1148, 1149, 1150, 1151 and to a large number of instructions in relation to quality.

Online consultation of standards

Syrian Standards on line.

Certification organizations

SASMO

Find out the standards and labelling requirements that apply to your products.

Intellectual Property

National organizations

Syria's legal system recognizes and facilitates the transfer of property rights, including the rights of intellectual property (law approved in February 2001 and it includes computer programs, books, films, and other creative works). Syria is one of the member countries of the Paris Convention, of the World Intellectual Property Organization since May 2004 and has established the Syrian Association for the intellectual property in 2005. A previous registration of intellectual property rights is required in order to follow up any infringement. Patents are valid for a 15 year period (renewable) under the condition that the invention must be used for two years.
As far as copyright is concerned, most of the books published in Syria are written in the Arabic language and are written by Syrian authors. There is a legal vacuum in this field and the country's authorities seldom punish possible counterfeiting. There are counterfeiters who record CDs, videos, etc. Video cassettes are 100% copied but there are few repercussions on the economy as such. However, it is advised that the persons victimized by this kind of phenomenon should avoid legal pursuit of the authors of fraud, since the cost of legal action is often higher than the possible compensation delivered in a legal suit. As for trademarks, they are registered for a period of 10 years and the first applicant is the proprietor of the trademark. A new law was established in March 2007 in order to regulate registered trademarks, industrial models and logos.

International membership

Member of the WIPO (World Intellectual Property Organization)
Signatory to the Paris Convention for the Protection of Intellectual Property