JCC demands temporary suspension of inbound parcel imports

Amman: The Jordan Chamber of Commerce (JCC) called for temporarily suspending parel import into local market, made by citizens and foreign companies, until "urgent" measures are taken to regulate this process and achieve justice. In a statement on Sunday, the JCC stressed the need to take decisions to regulate parcel imports, especially in terms of unifying fees, taxes, and customs procedures, in coordination with JCC and the Kingdom's affected commercial sectors to achieve equality. The JCC also stressed necessity of treating parcels equally as a Jordanian merchant when importing them officially through border centers. The JCC said: "Parcel e-commerce represents a major challenge and a parallel market facing traditional merchants in the sector, who are suffering stressful circumstances due to the decline in commercial activity amid the high costs of operating businesses." JCC Chairman, Khalil Haj Tawfiq, said e-commerce enjoys "demand among Jordanians for multiple reasons," pointing out that the chamber believes that this process is part of economic development. Hajj Tawfiq stressed affirms JCC's right to protect Jordanian, foreign, or Arab merchant and importer operating in Jordan. Additionally, he noted official decisions granted exemptions to parcel deliveries from sales tax and customs duties, and only imposed a unified fee on parcels equivalent to 10% of their value. In this regard, he noted international companies often bear this amount due to their large financial capacity, which "flood" local markets, adding that parcels are not subject to inspection, assessment, oversight, , or intellectual property ownership procedures. He said JCC noted injustice on businesses of local merchants and importers, who pay customs duties amounting to about 30% at border centers. According to estimates by the General Union of Clothing, Shoe and Textile Merchants, a total of about 7,500 parcels arrive in Jordan per day, containing about 90,000 garment pieces and their volume reached JD310 million in 2023, while volu me of traditional trade did not exceed JD250 million. Source: Jordan News Agency