RESTRICTED
WORLD TRADE G/STR/Q1/MAR/2
23October 1996
ORGANIZATION(96-4435)
Original: French Working Party onState Trading Enterprises
Reply toQuestions Posed bytheUNITED STATES1Concerning
theArticle XVII Notification ofMOROCCO2
Thefollowing communication wasreceived on14October 1996fromthePermanent Mission
ofMorocco.
_______________
Question 1: COMAPRA
ThisState enterprise didindeed haveamonopoly forprocuring domestic oilseed crops.
Since 1March 1996, theoilseed trading sector hasbeencompletely liberalized, which putan
endtotheCOMAPRA monopoly (Ministry ofForeign Trade Order No.1800-95 of28June1995).
Question 2: Tobacco Board
1. TheTobacco Board isaprivate-law corporation whose capital stock isentirely owned bythe
State.
Ithasamonopolyforprocuring,manufacturingandsellingtobaccounderaconcessionagreement
dating from 31December 1997.
TheLawonthetobacco monopoly (Dahir No.1-69-245 of19January 1970) doesnotrule
outthepossibility ofgranting oneormore entities (public orprivate) other thantheTobacco Board
thefullorpartial exercise ofthismonopoly.
TheTobacco Board purchases leaftobacco, manufacturing supplies andfinished products
(cigarettes) ontheworld market.
Under theabove-mentioned Law, theStatecould grant other entities apart fromtheTobacco
Board theexercise ofthismonopoly, inparticular asregards importing andexporting tobacco and
tobacco products.
Exports oftobacco orcigarettes bytheTobacco Board arenegligible.
1G/STR/Q1/MAR/1.
2G/STR/N/1/MAR.
./.G/STR/Q1/MAR/2
Page2
Question 3: ONTS
While theNational TeaandSugar Board (ONTS) hadalegalmonopoly inthemarketing of
sugar, infactitonlyexercised themonopoly withrespect toimports. Inanycase, thisprivilege was
completely abolished asfrom 1July1996.
During themonopoly period, thecriteria usedtodetermine thequantities tobeimported were
based onthedomestic sugar industry 'sneeds, aswellasconsumption requirements, inparticular in
thelightofdomestic production. Procurement wascarried outbytender among international traders.
Forthesakeofillustration, thefollowing tableshows thefigures relating torawsugar imports
in1994 and1995.
Components 1994 1995
Consumption forecast 852,000 870,000
White sugar production 257,000 230,000
Rawsugar production 224,000 210,000
Volume tobeimported 440,610 477,250
(Tonnes)
Question 4: Pastandpresent practices ofONICL
Before May1996, ONICL hadamonopoly control overthecereal market.
Itwasentrusted bytheGovernment withtheresponsibility fororganizing import tenders for
cereals among approved traders; fixing thequantities anddelivery periods; anddesignating the
unloading ports anddestinations oftheproducts.
Trade incereals hasbeenfreed upsince May1996.
Question 6: Office National deRecherche etd'Exploitation Pétrolière (ONAREP)
ThegoalofONAREP istopromote petroleum exploration inMorocco. ONAREP doesnot
dealwithimports orexports. Itdoesnotissueprospecting permits orproduction concessions toforeign
companies: thisistheprerogative oftheGovernment.
Likewise, ONAREP doesnothaveanexploration orproduction monopoly. LawNo.21-90
of1April 1992 provides thatpetroleum exploration inMorocco maybecarried outbyanyinvestor
meeting therequired conditions.
Société Nationale desProduits Pétroliers (SNPP): Since thetransfer totheprivate sector of
theSNPP 'sshareholdings indistribution companies, theSNPP hassuspended business activities.