President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has issued a presidential decree (number 538 for the year 2016) amending some of the customs tariffs previously in force (decree number 184 for the year 2013).
Under the new decree, which was issued yesterday and published in the Official Gazette today, the tariffs on 364 commodities have been increased by up to 60 percent.
The list of goods includes consumer goods which are described as "provocative" or "unnecessary", like plantains, on which the tariffs went up from 30 percent to 60 percent; pineapples, from 20 to 40 percent; US pear, from 20 to 40 percent; apricots, from 30 to 60 percent; chewing gum, from 40 to 60 percent, cocoa powder that contains sugar, from 10 to 20 percent; crispy bread, from 30 to 60 percent bread with ginger and cherries, from 10 to 60 percent.
Other consumer products on the list include: Perfumes and cosmetic products; fireworks; animal harnesses and related accessories; safety shoes; sneakers; granite stones; tableware and cooking utensils; armed and non-armed glass; showers; door locks; windows; fans; fridges and other electric devices; and last, but not least, pens and pencils.
