A Sri Lankan delegation, led by the Secretary of the Ministry of Finance, will begin virtual discussions with the United States Trade Agency on Friday 18th of July the Finance Ministry announced.
The talks come in response to a formal notification from the U.S. President stating that a 30 percent tariff will be imposed on all Sri Lankan exports starting 1st of August.
This new tariff rate represents a reduction from the earlier reciprocal rate of 44 percent.
Sri Lanka has engaged in several rounds of discussions with U.S. officials in recent months to ease the burden of export tariffs.
Although in-person negotiations were initially planned, the government has opted to proceed with virtual talks due to scheduling constraints.
The Finance Ministry said the current negotiations aim to further lower the proposed 30 percent tariff on Sri Lankan exports.
The U.S. has imposed similar export tariffs on over 20 countries, including Japan, South Korea, Brazil, and several EU member states, effective from August 1.
Sri Lanka hopes to secure more favorable trade terms through continued diplomatic engagement with U.S. authorities.
