Morocco
|
Photo: Mosquée de
Casablaca
|
Table
of Contents
|
Why
Morocco?
Strategically located along
the Straits of Gibraltar,
Morocco is a regional hub for
transportation, transit, and
business. Morocco is an
expanding economy
strategically situated at the
crossroads of Europe, the
Middle East and Africa.
Morocco's moderate
Mediterranean climate on 2,750
miles of coastline and its
developing infrastructure make
it an increasingly important
and attractive location for
business. With the
implementation of the
U.S.-Morocco Free Trade
Agreement (FTA), opportunities
for U.S. companies in Morocco
will continue to expand.
The democratically elected
Moroccan government has
launched a comprehensive
economic reform program aimed
at reducing inflation,
developing the tourism sector
and liberalizing and
privatizing key sectors such
as telecommunications. The
FTA, with its emphasis on the
rule of law, improved
competition and trade
liberalization, will enhance
and solidify these reforms.
Morocco is now steadily
progressing internally toward
greater modernization and
globalization, with the
creation of the country's
first commercial courts and
new streamlined customs
departments. By further
reducing trade barriers,
fomenting transparency, and by
institutionalizing
international business law,
accounting procedures and
standards, the FTA will open
Morocco up to increased U.S.
business, direct investment
and agricultural and service
sector exports.
Top
Morocco
at a Glance
| Total
Area |
780,580 sq km
|
| Population |
32,209,101 |
| Location |
Northern Africa,
bordering the North
Atlantic Ocean, the
Mediterranean Sea, and
Algeria, and only 14
miles south of Spain)
|
| Languages |
Arabic
and French (the
business language) |
| Government
type |
Constitutional
Monarchy |
| Capital |
Rabat |
| Export
Commodities |
textiles,
fish, inorganic
chemicals, automotive
parts, crude minerals,
phosphates, fruits,
vegetables |
| Import
Partners |
France
26.5%, Spain 16.7%, UK
7.2%, Germany 5.2%,
Italy 5%, US 4% (2003) |
| Import
Commodities |
crude
petroleum, textile
fabric,
telecommunications
equipment, wheat, gas
and electricity,
transistors, plastics,
machinery |
| U.S.
exports to Morocco |
2003:
465,124,000; 2002:
565,509,000; 2001:
286,095,000 |
| Item |
1999 |
2000 |
2001 |
2002 |
2003 |
2004 |
| Product
Total |
854759 |
4559698 |
6544630 |
663485 |
1457800 |
436156 |
| 333
Machinery Manufactures |
46189 |
1769870 |
2466143 |
38834 |
40855 |
149555 |
| 325
Chemical Manufactures |
0 |
1426446 |
954775 |
139919 |
128420 |
94840 |
| 334
Computers &
Electronic Prod. |
0 |
16398 |
23524 |
0 |
9074 |
58690 |
| 312
Beverage & Tobacco
Products |
40495 |
39620 |
43806 |
35590 |
22008 |
50241 |
| 313
Fabric Mill Products |
70000 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
2520 |
47475 |
| 335
Elec. Eq.; Appliances
& Parts |
0 |
0 |
7528 |
0 |
4061 |
21505 |
| 322
Paper Products |
0 |
568051 |
0 |
112154 |
0 |
9500 |
| 332
Fabricated Metal
Products |
0 |
0 |
0 |
4200 |
384394 |
4350 |
| 336
Transportation
Equipment |
568000 |
672807 |
246000 |
0 |
8000 |
0 |
| 337
Furniture &
Related Products |
119995 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| 339
Misc. Manufactures |
0 |
0 |
0 |
318110 |
689178 |
0 |
| 990
Spec. Classification
Provisions |
0 |
3259 |
16141 |
2707 |
0 |
0 |
| 111
Crop Production |
0 |
23184 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| 212
Mining |
0 |
0 |
2775635 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| 326
Plastic & Rubber
Products |
0 |
0 |
11078 |
0 |
169290 |
0 |
| 327
Non-Metallic Mineral
Mfgs. |
10080 |
26220 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| 331
Primary Metal
Manufactures |
0 |
13843 |
0 |
11971 |
0 |
0 |
Top
Best
Prospects for U.S. Exporters
- Waste Water Treatment
- Tourism Support Services
- Engineering and
Consulting Services
- Solid Waste Management
- IT Wireless &
Internet
- Airport Ground Support
Equipment
- Security & Safety
Equipment & Services
- Automotive after market
equipment
- Low Cost Housing
- Education
Top
Moroccan
Market Overview
Click
here for a quick overview
of the Moroccan Market!
For an overview of the
Moroccan Information and
Communications Market, please
see: http://www.emich.edu/ict_usa/MOROCCO.htm
Understanding
the U.S.-Morocco FTA
 Morocco
signed a free trade agreement
(FTA) with the U.S. on June
15, 2004, over two hundred
years after being the first
country to recognize the U.S.
as an independent nation. The
U.S.-Moroccan Free Trade
Agreement (FTA) is one of the
most comprehensive FTAs that
the U.S. has ever negotiated.
The FTA is scheduled to be
implemented in spring 2005.
Morocco is the second Arab and
first African nation to have
an FTA with the U.S. In
addition to further opening
Moroccan markets to American
exports by eliminating tariffs
on 95 percent of all bilateral
consumer and industrial
exports, the FTA will help
level the playing field with
European competition and
provide additional protections
for U.S. investors.
Moroccan officials
anticipate that the FTA will
be a catalyst for accelerating
and deepening the economic
reform process by allowing
greater competition,
encouraging the formation of
international partnerships,
and by greatly liberalizing
the Moroccan textile and
agricultural tariff
structures. In addition to
calling for a more transparent
judicial system and stricter
accounting standards, the FTA
also provides a high level of
intellectual property
protection, consistent with
the standards set by U.S. law.
This includes state-of-the-art
protections for trademarks and
digital copyrights, expanded
protection for patents and
product approval information
as well as tough penalties for
piracy and counterfeiting.
There are already 120
American businesses operating
in Morocco. American
manufacturers are expected to
capitalize on Morocco's
11-million member workforce in
continuing to produce popular
American textiles in Morocco.
Top
FTA
Specifics
The U.S.-Morocco FTA marks
one of the best market access
packages to date of any U.S.
free trade agreement signed
with a developing country.
More than 95 percent of
current two-way trade in
consumer and industrial
products will become duty-free
immediately, with all
remaining tariffs to be
eliminated within nine years.
Morocco will provide
immediate duty-free access to
92 percent of Moroccan
non-agricultural, non-textile
imports from the United
States, including imports of
many goods of significant
commercial interest to the
United States. Most U.S.
exports of civil aircraft,
capital intensive machinery,
chemicals, construction, and
medical equipment will enjoy
immediate duty-free access
upon entry into force of the
agreement.
The FTA creates substantial
market access opportunities
for U.S. service providers in
the telecommunications,
banking, insurance,
environmental services and
e-commerce sectors among
others. The FTA also requires
Morocco to provide a high
level of IPR protection,
consistent with U.S. law,
including state-of-the-art
protections for trademarks and
digital copyrights, as well as
expanded protection for
patents and product approval
information.
U.S.-Morocco
FTA Resources
1. The
U.S. Commercial Service
resource site
2. U.S.
Trade Representative
U.S.-Morocco FTA website
3. U.S.
Trade Representative FTA Fact
Sheet
4. U.S.
Morocco Free Trade Agreement
website
5. The
American Chamber of Commerce
Survey 2003: A Survey of
Executive Perceptions about
business and investing in
Morocco in PDF format
6. Morocco
Country Commercial Guide n PDF
format
7. Emerging
Morocco
8. American
Chamber of Commerce Morocco
Trade and Investment Guide
2004
MEBIC:
To Morocco and Beyond
Morocco is a great place
for U.S. companies to begin
exploring commercial
opportunities throughout the
Middle East and North Africa.
Windfalls from high oil
prices, combined with the
falling dollar and significant
economic reforms in many
countries around the region,
offer American companies some
of the best commercial
opportunities in a decade.
Recognizing that one of the
primary obstacles to business
in the region is the
difficulty of getting timely,
reliable market information,
the U.S. Commercial Service is
developing the Middle East
Business Information Center
(MEBIC). MEBIC is a
comprehensive initiative to
promote, assist, and
facilitate U.S. business in
the markets of the Middle East
and North Africa. MEBIC will
help you:
- Take the basic steps to
enter the various markets
in the Middle East
- Find qualified buyers,
distributors, and agents
- Understand the different
laws, regulations, and
customs
- Leverage the U.S.
Commercial Service and our
world class
market-research
The MEBIC website is an
interactive tool for business
development and a centralized
source of country-specific
business information for U.S.
companies looking to explore
new markets. MEBIC will be a
joint effort among federal
government agencies with
cooperation from regional
business associations and
industry organizations. In
addition to the website, a
critical component of the
MEBIC initiative will be a
team of Middle East
specialists, located both
domestically and overseas to
offer advice and market
regional opportunities to
interested U.S. companies.
Look for MEBIC to be launched
in early 2005!
Contact
Us
The U.S. Commercial Service
staff in Morocco is ready to
help you succeed in the
Moroccan marketplace. Contact
us today and let our trade
specialists explain how the
U.S.-Morocco FTA will create
new opportunities for your
business!
U.S. Commercial Service
Casablanca
- Senior Commercial
Officer Gail Del Rosal
- Sr. Commercial
Specialist Latifa
Essakalli
- Commercial Specialist
Thanae Bennani
- Commercial Specialist
Najia Tourougui*
- 8 Blvd. Moulay Youssef
Casablanca
- Phone: 212-22-26-45-50
- Phone: 212-37-76-22-65
Ext 2021*
- Fax: 212-22-22-02-59
- Casablanca.Office.Box@mail.doc.gov
Visit our website at www.buyusa.gov/morocco
Date
Updated: March 27, 2007
|
