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1. GENERAL
PRESENTATION :
1.1. General
characteristics :
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Official name
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Kingdom of Morocco
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Area
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711,000 Km²
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Population
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27 million in 1995
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Density
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38 inhabitants per Km²
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Capital
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Rabat
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Climate
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The dominant climate is
of Mediterranean nature, but it is Temperate in the north-west and the
West by the Atlantic ocean. Globally, the year is divided into two major
periods : the rainy season lasts in principle from October to May, but
starting from April and under the influence of high tropical air pressures,
the weather in Morocco becomes dry and hot.
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Main
holidays
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1st
and 11th January, March 3rd, 1st and 23rd
May, 9th July, 14th and 20th August, 6th
and 18th November, Aid Al Fitr, Aid Al Adha and Aid Al Mouloud.
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1.2. General information
:
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Language
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Arabic, French, English and Spanish are currently
used in business languages.
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Currency
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Dirham (MD)
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Local time
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GMT.
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Working hours
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* Companies and Administration : From Monday to Thursday
: From 8 H 00 to 12 H 00 and 14 H 30 to 18 H 30. Friday : from 8.00 to
11.3 0 and 15 H to 18.30.
Banks : From Monday to Thursday from 8.15 to 11.30
and to 14.30 to 16.30. Friday from 8.15 to 11.15 and 14.30 to 16.30.
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1.3. The legal framework
of trade relationships :
Morocco is member of the following international
and regional organizations :
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The World Trade Organization (W.T.O) ;
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The United Nations Organization (UN) and its main
specialized Institutions (World Bank, IMF, etc…) ;
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The Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC)
;
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The Arab Maghreb Union (A.M.U) ;
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The Arab States League ;
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The Group of 77 ;
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Morocco has recently signed a new association agreement
with its main trading partners: the European Union. Such an agreement notably
provides for the setting up of a free trade area between both parties ;
Several other economic and commercial co-operation
agreement were signed between Morocco and most of the other African, Asian,
European and American countries.
2. TRADE
STRUCTURE :
2.1. Main
exported products :
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Phosphoric acid ;
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Rock phosphate ;
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Fertilizers ;
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Fish and canned fish ;
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Citrus fruit and fruit juice ;
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Textile and leather clothes ;
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Crustaceans and mollusks.
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2.2. Main imported
products :
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Petroleum and by products ;
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Wheat ;
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Raw materials and semi-manufactured products ;
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capital goods;
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Miscellaneous consumption goods.
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2.3. Trading
partners :
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Main customers
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Main suppliers
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France
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France
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Spain
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Spain
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United States
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Japan
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Germany
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Germany
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Italy
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India
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Saudi Arabia
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Great Britain
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The European Union is both the main customer
and main supplier of Morocco.
3. FOREIGN
TRADE CONTROL :
The 1992 law on foreign trade consecrated
the principle of Free Trade between Morocco and the rest of the world.
Few products only are still submitted to quantitative restrictions (negative
lists).
3.1. Imports
regulations :
Importers are in general compelled to register their
names at the foreign trade operators files in order to be delivered an
importer's card ;
Any import operation must be subjected to an import
title which can be delivered under three forms :
Import commitment when goods imports are duty free
;
Import license when imported goods are included
in the negative list ;
And a prior import declaration provided
for in order to safeguard national production against illicit trade practice
(dumping, subventions etc).
When imported goods benefit from tariff preferences
within the framework of trade and tariff conventions, the importer must
submit an application to the Ministry of Foreign Trade to obtain exemption
from customs duties ;
At all events, import titles are subjected to a domiciliation
procedures with authorized bank agencies.
3.2. Exports
regulations :
In principle, as concerns any goods forwarding
to foreign countries, Export title is compulsory except by way of derogation.
This title may be delivered under two forms :
* Foreign currency exchange commitment to
cover duty free goods exports ;
* Import license required to cover the forwarding
of goods subjected to restrictions (negative list).
Export title domiciliation is not compulsory.
3.3. Other
formalities and documents :
Starting
from 1994 in compliance with (Decree n° 2249-94), animals used in animal
sub products manufacturing must be coupled with an official sanitary certificate
of the country of origin ;
Likewise, cattle, poultry, eggs imports
etc… are submitted to sanitary and phytosanitary controls;
As concerns packaging, ticketing rules are notably
applied to pharmaceutical, food products or to canned or packaged goods
and dangerous substances ;
Other documents are also often demanded fur customs
clearance, customs declaration, transport title, parcels and packages list,
certificate of origin and trade invoice.
4. FINANCIAL
REGULATIONS OF FOREIGN TRADE OPERATIONS :
4.1. Banking
system :
The Moroccan banking system is composed of four kinds
of institutions :
* Banque Al Maghreb which
plays a pivotal role ;
* Co-ordination and consultation
organizations ;
* Finance companies ;
* And traditional banks
which most of them are depository of exclusively private capitals, with
a large number of foreign shares. These commercial banks play an important
role at the level of international trade operations : domiciliation, financial
settlement, imports files auditing, etc...
4.2. Exchange
system :
Exchange regulation have been considerably relaxed
in Morocco for the last two years :
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Morocco has adopted a partial convertibility of the
Dirham, current trade transactions benefit from free convertibility ;
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Foreign loans operations are no more subjected to
the authorization of the foreign exchange office (office des changes) ;
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Exporters, non-resident businessmen and Moroccan
workers abroad are authorized to open under some conditions foreign currency
bank accounts.
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4.3. Methods
and means for international settlement :
Foreign trade operators resort to a wide range of
methods of payment which vary according to business relations between trading
partners :
The most used methods of payment are :
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Documentary credit, under its various forms ;
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Documentary remittance ;
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And Swift transfer or telex.
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Businessmen, non-resident in Morocco may also use
foreign currency accounts open in Morocco as the quickest means of payment.
5. CUSTOMS
TAXATION :
After its adhesion to the GATT, Morocco
introduced modifications to its customs taxation consisting of tariff barriers
reduction.
5.1. Applicable
duties and taxes :
Imported goods except by derogation, are subjected
to the following duties and taxes:
Import customs duty calculated on the basis of CIF
value plus lighterage whose rates are as follows :
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Reduced rates : 2.5% and 10%;
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Average rates : 17.5% and 25%;
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High rates : 35% and 45%.
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Import taxation at a flat rate of 15% also calculated
on the a basis of CIF value plus lighterage.
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Value added tax at the rates of 7.14 or 20% variable
according to the product's nature calculated on the basis of cleared goods
value.
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Some goods, such as alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks
are also subjected to the payment of inland consumption tax.
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Finally, import parafiscal tax at the rate of 0.25%
has recently been established.
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At Export level and within the framework of foreign
trade promotion, exported goods are exempted from customs duties and assimilated
taxes.
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5.2. Special
provisions :
The new agreement on the Free Trade Area between
Morocco and the European Union has provided for the total abolition of
tariff barriers between both parties.
Likewise, tariff conventions between Morocco and
some Islamic countries provide for total or partial exemptions from customs
duties.
6. FOREIGN
TRADE LOGISTIC :
6.1. International
Transports :
Moroccan road network, estimated at 60,000 Km²
in 1994, plays a relatively important role in the field of goods transport.
The railway network whose length was estimated at
1907 Km in 1994, connects the main ports and the large cities. It is managed
by l'Office National des Chemins de Fer (Moroccan railways Office).
In the area of maritime transport, the Moroccan Shipping
Company (COMANAV) is the first shipowner of the Kingdom of Morocco. It
ensure regular links with most of 50 ports mainly located in Europe and
Africa. There are also several other shipping transport companies of lesser
importance.
As concerns the ports network l'Office d'Exploitation
des Ports (ODEP) (Moroccan harbors development office) controls the ten
major trading ports of Morocco : Casablanca, Mohammedia (specialized in
oil products), Agadir, Safi, Nador, Tangier, Jorf Lasfar (specialized in
phosphate), Kenitra and Sahara ports.
With regard to air transport Morocco is provided
with 17 main airports, four of which ensure the major part of freight and
passenger traffic : these are Casablanca, Agadir, Marrakech and Rabat-Salé.
The National Air Company - Royal Air Maroc operates links with the main
international airports of Europe, Africa, Asia and America ; but it has
no more the monopoly in air transports, other companies such as Air-France
and Air Liberté also operate in this field.
6.2. Telecommunications
:
Telecommunications network in Morocco has for the
last two years experienced a considerable expansion coupled with a diversification
of proposed services : Mobile radio, telephone, transmission network, etc.
At international level, Morocco is provided with
automatic links with more than 160 countries in the world. A new telecommunications
development plan is in process.
6.3. Distribution
System :
The Moroccan distribution system has for the most
part kept its traditional nature : family enterprises account for the main
operations.
Yet, for the last few years hypermarkets have quickly
developed in the large cities such as Casablanca, Fes and Rabat.
As concerns foreign trade operations, the major part
of products are either imported by domestic enterprises (importers or wholesalers),
or directly by retailers or by wholesalers and big stores.
7. USEFUL
ADDRESSES :
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Organizations &
Public Establishments
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ADDRESS
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PHONE / FAX
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Administration des Douanes et Impôts Indirects
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1, place Mohamed V, Casablanca / MOROCCO
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Tel. : (02) 224116
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Ministère du Commerce Extérieur
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63,
avenue My Youssef Rabat /
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Tel : (07) 703363
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Ministère des Finances
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Quartier Administratif, Chellah Rabat
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Tel : (07) 760147
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Banque Al Maghreb (Banque Centrale)
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277,
avenue Mohamed V. B.P. 445 Rabat.
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Tel : (07) 763009
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Centre Marocain de Promotion des Exportations CMPE
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23, Bd. Girardot CASABLANCA
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Tel. : (02) 302210
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Centre Islamique pour le Développement du
Commerce (C.I.D.C)
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Complexe Commercial Habous, Av. des FAR - B.P. 13545
- Casablanca 20000
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Tel : (02) 314974
Fax: (02) 31 01 10
Email: icdt@icdt.org
URL: www.icdt.org
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Office des Changes
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Place Pétri, 31 - rue Lumumba B.P. 71 - Rabat
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Tel : (07) 721285
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Morocco
