Egypt's Minister of Industry and Transport, Kamel El-Wazir has ordered an urgent review of customs procedures after local manufacturers of automotive glass, billet, and steel sheets raised concerns over trade distortions hurting their competitiveness. At the 28th meeting of the Ministerial Group for Industrial Development, Minister El-Wazir listened to complaints about higher tariffs imposed on finished products compared to raw materials and production inputs. The manufacturers also flagged an imbalance in export subsidies, with intermediate goods receiving support while final products with greater added value are left out. Minister El-Wazir instructed the Ministry of Investment and Foreign Trade, in coordination with the Ministry of Finance and the Central Bank of Egypt (CBE), to conduct a comprehensive study to correct these customs disparities and bolster locally made products. He emphasised the need for stricter controls on imported goods entering Egypt to shield domestic industry from unfair trade practices. The meeting brought together key government officials, including ministers from planning, finance, military production, electricity, and environment, as well as private sector representatives from the ceramics and glass industries. The move reflects the government's ongoing efforts to enhance the competitiveness of Egypt's manufacturing sector amid global trade challenges. Attribution: Amwal Al Ghad English
