RESTRICTED  WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  WT/TPR/G/217 
20 May 2009  
 
(09-2401) 
Trade Policy Review Body Original: French 
   
 
  
 
TRADE POLICY REVIEW 
 
Report by the 
 
KINGDOM OF MOROCCO 
 
  
 
Pursuant to the Agreement Establishi ng the Trade Policy Review Mechanism 
(Annex 3 of the Marrakesh Agreement Establishing the World Trade 
Organization), the policy statement by the Kingdom of Morocco is attached. 
 
 
Note: This report is subject to restricted circ ulation and press embargo until the end of the first 
session of the meeting of the Trade Policy Re view Body on the Kingdom of Morocco. Morocco WT/TPR/G/217 
 Page 3 
 
 
CONTENTS 
 
  Page 
I. INTRODUCTION 5 
II. MACROECONOMIC ACHIEVEMENTS 5 
 (1) G ROWTH OF THE DOMESTIC ECONOMY :  HIGHER LEVEL AND LESS DEPENDENCE ON 
CLIMATIC FACTORS  5 
 (2) M OROCCO :  A POLE OF ATTRACTION FOR FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENT  6 
 (3) S TEADILY IMPROVING BUDGETARY POSITION  6 
 (4) C ONTROLLING INFLATION  6 
 (5) S IGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENT IN THE LABOUR MARKET AND IN PURCHASING POWER  6 
 (6) P ROGRESSIVE OPENING UP OF THE ECONOMY TO THE REST OF THE WORLD  7 
 (i) Trade in Goods 7  (ii) Trade in Services 7 
 (iii) Private cu rrent transfers 7 
III. TRADE POLICY OBJECTIVES AND INSTRUMENTS 8 
 (1) T
ARIFF POLICY  8 
 (2) E LIMINATION OF QUANTITATIVE RESTRICTIONS  8 
 (3) S IMPLIFICATION OF FOREIGN TRADE PROCEDURES  8 
 (4) F OREIGN TRADE POLICY  9 
 (i) Morocco and the multilateral trading system 9  (ii) Bilateral and regi onal trade agreements 11 
IV. IMPROVEMENT OF THE BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT 12 
 (1) T
HE JUDICIAL SYSTEM  12 
 (2) F INANCE   12 
 (3) I MPROVEMENT OF BUSINESS COMPETITIVENESS  12 
 (4) T AX REFORM  13 
 (5) A  BETTER FRAMEWORK FOR THE PROTECTION OF INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY  13 
 (6) A  CONTEXT MORE CONDUCIVE TO COMPETITION  14 
 (7) I MPROVED INVESTMENT PROMOTION  14 
 (8) G OVERNMENT PROCUREMENT :  AN APPROACH IN LINE WITH THE NEW CHANGES  14 
V. STRUCTURING PROJECTS 15 
 (1) B UILDING AND PUBLIC WORKS , INFRASTRUCTURE  15 
 (2) T ELECOMMUNICATION AND NEW TECHNOLOGIES  15 
 (3) T RANSPORT  15 
 (4) E NERGY   15 
 (5) A DMINISTRATIVE SYSTEMS :  A POLICY OF PROXIMITY AND DECONCENTRATION  16 
 
 WT/TPR/G/217 Trade Policy Review 
Page 4 
 
 
Page 
VI. NEW SECTORAL IMPETUS 16 
 (1) P LAN AZUR:  SUSTAINED GROWTH OF TOURISM  16 
 (2) E MERGENCE :  A PROACTIVE PLAN FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF INDUSTRY AND 
SERVICES  16 
 (3) T HE GREEN PLAN:  AN AMBITIOUS AGRICULTURAL PROGRAMME  17 
 (4) V ISION 2015:   DEVELOPMENT OF THE CRAFTS SECTOR  17 
 (5) T HE "RAWAJ 2020"  PROJECT :  BETTER DISTRIBUTION OF GOODS AND SERVICES  17 
 (6) A  CONCERTED STRATEGY FOR DEVELOPMENT AND PROMOTION OF EXPORTS  18 
 Morocco WT/TPR/G/217 
 Page 5 
 
 
I. INTRODUCTION 
1. Since the last trade policy review in 2003, Moro cco has continued to strengthen its economic, 
social and institutional reforms at a steady and increasing pace. 
2. Thanks to the reforms undertaken,  coupled with the enhanced status of the rule of law and the 
introduction of sound macroeconomic manageme nt, Morocco now has a competitive and open 
economy capable of integrating into the ever-cha nging world economy.  The ultimate objective is to 
stimulate the country's growth and impr ove the well-being of its population. 
3. Convinced that trade policy is essential to its economic policy and to development as a whole, 
Morocco embarked some 20 years ago on an irrevers ible process of liberalization and opening up to 
the rest of the world, inter alia  by: 
- Continuing to reduce tariff protection and eliminate non-tariff measures; 
- streamlining foreign trade procedures; 
- creating an environment conducive to the development of business and investment; 
- broadening and diversifying its trade and ec onomic relations by concluding free trade 
agreements with its main bilate ral or regional trading partners; 
- contributing to the consolidation of the multilateral trading system. 
4. This enabled Morocco to return to strong ec onomic growth in a gloomy world context and to 
maintain its macroeconomic balanc es thanks to the launching of large-scale structuring projects and 
the introduction of new sectoral strategies aimed at  reconfiguring and dive rsifying its exportable 
supply in keeping with its competitive capacity and new world market demands.  These proactive 
strategies focus both on the development of the in dustrial, agricultural, crafts, tourism and business 
services sectors and on comprehensive strengthening of the country's small- and medium-sized 
enterprises. 
5. As regards its fundamental indicators, Morocco's  structural budget deficit has turned into a 
surplus.  There has been a significant inflow of foreign direct investment.  At the same time, tourism 
receipts and remittances from Moroccans liv ing abroad have been on the increase. 
6. However, Morocco is still concerned at the persisting foreign trade deficit which is 
undermining its development efforts.  It is in troducing measures aimed at boosting the production and 
export potential of companies, in particular SMEs, and at encouraging foreign investment. 
II. MACROECONOMIC ACHIEVEMENTS 
(1) GROWTH OF THE DOMESTIC ECONOMY :  HIGHER LEVEL AND LESS DEPENDENCE ON 
CLIMATIC FACTORS  
7. Since its last trade policy review, Morocco has pursued its macroeconomic and structural 
reforms.  On the whole, the economy has performed  well.  The average annual real GDP growth rate 
for the period from 2002 to 2007 was 4.5 per cent, as compared to 3.9 per cent for the period from 
1996 to 2001.  This improvement was coupled with a significant decrease in volatility.  
Non-agricultural GDP grew at a yearly average ra te of 4.3 per cent, and growth remained positive 
throughout the period in spite of three years of drought. WT/TPR/G/217 Trade Policy Review 
Page 6 
 
 
8. The standard of living of Moroccan citizens improved significantly during this period.  
Average per capita GDP reached US$2,863 in 2007, i. e. more than double the US$1,245 recorded in 
2002.  At the same time, the rate of inflation remained below 3 per cent. 
9. Propelled by domestic demand, the growth rate reached 5.8 per cent in 2008.  Five per cent of 
this growth corresponds to non-agricultural activitie s, which experienced a slowdown, particularly 
during the last quarter, owing to the decline in expor ts in connection with th e international financial 
and economic crisis. 
(2) MOROCCO :  A POLE OF ATTRACTION FOR FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENT  
10. Foreign direct investment (FDI) has grown considerably:  from DH 6 billion in 2002, it 
reached a record DH 36.4 billion in 2007.  The benefi ciaries were essentially the tourism, real estate, 
telecommunications, transport and industrial sectors.  The main source of FDI remains France, followed by Spain, the United Arab Emirates, Great Britain and Germany. 
11. Thus, since 2000, Morocco has been one of the th ree countries in Africa to attract the most 
FDI (first in 2003) and has accounted for an average of 9 per cent of FDI in the MENA region (Middle East and North Africa). 
(3) S
TEADILY IMPROVING BUDGETARY POSITION  
12. A look at government finances over the period 2002-2007 reveals a marked improvement in 
the leading fiscal indicators.  Thus, the budget balance excluding privatization proceeds went from a deficit of 5.5 per cent of GDP in 2001 to a surplus of 0.2 per cent in 2007. 
13. This improvement in government finances is li nked in particular to the sharp rise in tax 
revenue, which grew from 18 per cent of GDP in 2002 to 22 per cent in 2007.  The trend reflects the 
considerable increase in all direct and indirect ta xes in spite of the shrinking revenue from customs 
and privatizations. 
14. The ratio of total Treasury debt to GDP h as improved steadily over the past few years, 
dropping from 63.8 per cent in 2002 to 53.6 per cent in 2007, i.e. a 19 per cent decrease over 
six years. 
(4) C
ONTROLLING INFLATION  
15. The economic performance that marked the period from 2002 to 2007 was achieved in a 
context of low inflation.  By keeping inflation down to an average of about 1.9 per cent for the period, 
it was possible to preserve the purchasing power of the population and to stabilize the real exchange 
rate.  This was achieved by implementing an approp riate monetary policy, more consistent with the 
country's budgetary policy, and by strengthening co mpetition within the production system thanks to 
increased liberalization of the Moroccan economy and its opening up to the outside world. 
(5) SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENT IN THE LABOUR MARKET AND IN PURCHASING POWER  
16. The upward trend in national economic growth has had a positive impact on employment.  
The unemployment rate sank from 11.6 per cent in 2002 to 9.8 per cent in 2007.  The decrease was 
more marked in urban areas, where the rate fell from 18.3 per cent in 2002 to 15.4 per cent in 2007. 
17. In addition to the impact of growth, the improvement in the employment market is also 
attributable to the different measures introduced  by the Government to enhance flexibility, in Morocco WT/TPR/G/217 
 Page 7 
 
 
particular by permanently seeking to correlate traini ng with the needs of the different companies, and 
by encouraging self-employment. 
(6) PROGRESSIVE OPENING UP OF THE ECONOMY TO THE REST OF THE WORLD  
18. The openness rate, i.e. the ratio between the overall value of foreign trade in goods and 
services and the GDP, reached 87 per cent in 2007 as compared to 65 per cent in 2002 – in other 
words, it was up 22 per cent. 
(i) Trade in Goods 
19. In its relations with the outside world, Moro cco has continued to consolidate its external 
position.  The current account of the balance of paym ents showed a slight deficit (0.1 per cent of 
GDP) in 2007 following six years of surplus, reflec ting the sustained dynamism of the balance of 
services which has helped to offset th e decline in the balance of goods. 
20. Imports grew at an average annual rate of 13.3 per cent, from DH 130.4 billion in 2002 to 
DH 259.7 billion in 2007, owing largely to tariff reducti ons, to the rise in the energy and grain bills, to 
the sharp increase in capital goods imports, and to the growing demand for consumer goods as a result 
of the improved purchasing power. 
21. Goods exports also developed considerably:  with  an annual growth rate of 7.5 per cent, they 
reached DH 123.9 billion in 2007, up from 86.3 billi on dirhams in 2002.  The main export products 
are textiles, chemical and parachemical pr oducts, and agricultural and agri-food products. 
(ii) Trade in Services 
22. The share of trade in services in GDP progr essed considerably, from 4.8 per cent in 2002 to 
9 per cent in 2007, reflecting the strong growth in  services exports since 2002 (13.9 per cent per year). 
23. As a result, services exports reached 46 per cent of total exports in 2007 (DH 99.4 billion) as 
opposed to 36 per cent in 2002 (DH 48 billion), a trend which can be explained by the sustained 
development of both telecommunications and busin ess services in connection with the development 
of offshoring. 
24. Meanwhile, tourism revenue grew at an average rate of 12.6 per cent during the same period, 
reaching DH 58.7 billion in 2007 as compared to DH 29 billion in 2002.  This reflects Morocco's 
attractiveness as a destination and the impact of Moro cco's proactive developmen t strategy in this area 
in the framework of a public–private partnership.  Since 2006, tourism has been the main source of 
foreign exchange, ahead of remittanc es from Moroccans living abroad. 
(iii) Private current transfers 
25. Remittances from Moroccans living abroad progressed  by an average of 7.8 per cent per year 
over the period 2002-2007, reaching DH 55 billion in 2007, as compared to DH 33.18 billion in 2002. 
26. The foreign assets held by the Central Bank have  increased steadily over the past few years.  
For the period 2002-2007, the stock of foreign asset s covered close to nine months of imports on 
average. WT/TPR/G/217 Trade Policy Review 
Page 8 
 
 
III. TRADE POLICY OBJECTIVES AND INSTRUMENTS 
27. Morocco's trade policy objectives call for st rong, sustainable employment-generating 
economic growth in a liberal trade context integrated into the world economy. 
(1) TARIFF POLICY  
28. In keeping with its policy of trade liberalizati on and with a view to reducing the gap between 
the MFN tariff and preferential tariffs, Morocco adopted a tariff reform covering products under 
Chapters 25 to 97 of its Customs Tariff.  The aim of this reform is to reduce the maximum tariff to 
25 per cent by 2012 from the 40 per cent rate applied in  2008.  This tariff reform, of which the first 
phase entered into effect in January 2009, will be implemented as follows: 
MFN tariffs in force at 1 January 
2002  2007 2009 2012
2.5% 2.5% 2.5% 2.5%
10% 10% 7.5% 2.5%
17.5% 17.5% 10% 2.5%
25% 25% 20% 10%
32.5% 32.5% 27.5% 17.5%
40% 40% 35% 25%
50% 45% 35% 25%
 
29. Thus, Morocco's tariff scheme will have gone from seven rates in 2002 to four rates in 2012.  
The maximum rate will have decreased from 50 per cent in 2002 to 25 per cent in 2012. 
(2) ELIMINATION OF QUANTITATIVE RESTRICTIONS  
30. Since its last review, Morocco has not subj ected any new products to import licensing under 
Law No. 13-89 on foreign trade in order to safeguard  public morals, safety, law and order and health, 
or to protect fauna and flora. 
31. As regards exports, Morocco eliminated its expor t restrictions on hides and skins, with the 
exception of wet blue hides in order to ensure the sustainable development of the tanning sector and to 
protect the environment. 
32. In July 2008, grains were subjected to an e xport licence owing to the international food crisis 
of 2007-2008 which saw a surge in world food pr ices and a supply deficit in the domestic market. 
(3) SIMPLIFICATION OF FOREIGN TRADE PROCEDURES  
33. The simplification of foreign trade procedures plays a strategic role in Morocco's reform 
programme, the aim being to enhance transparency and reduce the time and costs involved in foreign 
trade formalities in general. 
34. Accordingly, in 2004 Morocco launched a national plan for the simplification of foreign trade 
procedures and extension of Electronic Data Intercha nge (EDI) to all foreign trade operators, which it 
adopted in 2006. Morocco WT/TPR/G/217 
 Page 9 
 
 
35. An overall analysis of foreign trade procedures made it possible to develop a project for a 
virtual one-stop shop for foreign trade formalities. 
36. Morocco intends to continue strengthening its system with a view to speeding up the 
simplification and rationalization of its procedur es both at the national and international levels 
(physical one-stop shop for the synchronization of  different border controls, introduction of a 
mechanism for public consultation befo re the official publication of texts, and strengthening of risk 
management and the combat against fraud within the customs system). 
(4) FOREIGN TRADE POLICY  
(i) Morocco and the multilateral trading system 
37. Morocco has fulfilled all its commitments unde r the GATT/WTO Agreements while ensuring 
transparency by regularly submitting notifications to the different WTO bodies. 
38. As with other WTO Members, Morocco's relations hip with the multilateral trading system is 
currently shaped by the context of the Doha De velopment Agenda and the effects of the world 
economic crisis.  Morocco attaches great importa nce to the conclusion of these negotiations as a 
means of softening the impact of this crisis and setting up an open and fair multilateral trading system 
capable of reviving the growth and development of the world economy. 
(a) Agriculture 
39. Morocco honours its commitments with regard to the implementation of the Agreement on 
Agriculture.  It reaffirms its will to work towards a broader opening up of agricultural markets, while 
stressing that Moroccan foreign trade in agricultu re has not improved to the extent expected, 
particularly as regards exports. 
40. Morocco considers that the conclusion of the Doha Round would provide the developing 
countries with significant opportunities;  but these new opportunities will only materialize if export subsidies are eliminated, production subsidies granted to farmers in the developed countries 
considerably reduced, and market acce ss for agricultural products improved. 
(b) Market access for non-agricu ltural products (NAMA) 
41. Morocco has bound all of its tariff lines for non-agricultural products.  From the outset of the 
Doha Round it opted for a tariff reduction approa ch based on a non-linear formula, allowing for a 
distinction between developed and developing Members and for greater predictability in the trading 
environment.  This reduction formula should not pe nalize the developing countries which have made 
the effort to attain high levels of binding. 
42. Morocco is concerned by the effect of prefer ence erosion that these tariff reductions would 
produce.  Moreover, participation in sectoral initia tives seeking the harmonization or elimination of 
customs duties should be on a voluntary basis. 
(c) Services 
43. Morocco attaches great importance to the improve ment of market access for certain sectors 
such as engineering, construction, tourism, and offs horing services.  In order to enable the developing 
countries to increase their participation in world trade in services, the principle of special and 
differential treatment must be maintained. WT/TPR/G/217 Trade Policy Review 
Page 10 
 
 
44. Morocco has bound a considerable portion of th ese reform measures in the framework of its 
initial offer on trade in services, submitted in June 2005.   In this offer, it extends the coverage of the 
current commitments to distribution, maritime tr ansport and mail services, related scientific and 
technical consulting services, and integrated engineering services. 
(d) Intellectual Property 
45. Morocco has spared no effort to  adapt its intellectual property legislation to the requirements 
of the TRIPS Agreement and to fulfil its obligations in that area. 
46. In view of the legal system in force at the national level, which w as amended in 2006 in the 
industrial property area and supplemented in 2008 by a law on distinctive signs of origin and quality, 
Morocco would like to see the Doha Round of negotiations achieve the following: 
- Extension of additional protection of geogra phical indications (GI) to products other 
than wine and spirits; 
- establishment of a multilateral register for the protection of GIs that would be legally 
binding for all WTO Members;  and 
- strengthening of the relationship between  the TRIPS Agreement and the Convention 
of Biological Diversity, bearing in mind that in terms of biological diversity Morocco 
is the second richest country of the Mediterranean rim. 
(e) Rules 
47. Concerned at the resurgence of trade protecti on practices, Morocco advocates the creation of 
regional offices to investigate and combat dumping and subsidies (grouping together and mutualizing 
the trade defence systems of different countries in order to help deal with complex and costly 
procedures). 
48. As regards fisheries subsidies, Morocco ur ges WTO Members to establish disciplines 
prohibiting over-fishing and suppor ting sound practices in order to en sure sustainable exploitation of 
fisheries resources.  There should be flexibility fo r artisanal fishing on the basis of special and 
differential treatment, bearing in mind its contributio n to development, to the alleviation of poverty 
and food security, as well as its socio economic impact on the regions dependent on fishing. 
(f) Trade facilitation 
49. Morocco has always been an advocate of tr ade facilitation as a means of developing 
international trade flows and eliminating barriers to  international trade.  It has adopted measures 
concerning freedom of transit, import and export fo rmalities and the publication of foreign trade laws 
and regulations (transparency) wh ich go beyond its multilateral commitments with respect to foreign 
trade procedures. 
50. A national interministerial committee on trad e facilitation was created  with a view to 
strengthening Morocco's contribution to the negotiations in that area. 
(g) Aid for Trade 
51. The implementation of the Aid for Trade initiative should not be a substitute for the results to 
be achieved in the negotiations on the basis of th e objectives set by the Doha Development Agenda. Morocco WT/TPR/G/217 
 Page 11 
 
 
52. Indeed, the resources allocated under this in itiative should be additional, predictable, 
demand-oriented, unconditional, and provided in the form of grants.  The aim is to improve supply 
capacity, to develop trade-related infrastructure, a nd to address the costs resulting from the erosion of 
trade preferences. 
(h) Special and differential treatment 
53. Morocco attaches special importance to effec tive and operational special and differential 
treatment that would allow the developing countries lo wer levels of commitment in keeping with their 
level of development. 
(ii) Bilateral and regional trade agreements 
54. In order to create an environment conduciv e to the development of its trade with 
third countries, Morocco pursued its policy of open trade by negotiating a series of free trade 
agreements (FTAs) with  a number of partners. 
(a) Turkey 
55. The FTA with Turkey, which was signed on 7 April 2004 and entered into force on 
1 January 2005, was concluded in connection with  the strengthening of the Pan-Euro-Mediterranean 
process.  Initially, it involves only trade in goods , and essentially industrial goods.  However, an 
evolutionary clause provides for the progressive lib eralization of agricultural trade as well as the 
liberalization of trade in services and the right of  establishment.  The agreement provides for the use 
of the Pan-Euro-Mediterranean system of cumula tion of origin as a valuable tool for regional 
integration. 
(b) United Arab Emirates 
56. This agreement, which was signed on 25 June 2001 and entered into force on 9 July 2003, 
provides for the total exemption from customs duty of  all products traded between Morocco and the 
United Arab Emirates as from 1 January 2005. 
(c) Agadir Agreement (Morocco, Eg ypt, Jordan and Tunisia) 
57. This free trade agreement, signed in Rabat on 25 February 2004, entered into force on 
6 July 2007 and is a product of the Euro-Mediterranean  process.  Under this agreement, all products 
traded between the four countries are fully exempted from duties and taxes of equivalent effect as from its entry into force.  Similarly, the use of th e system of cumulation of origin is a factor of 
integration among these four countries. 
(d) United States 
58. Signed on 15 June 2004, the free trade agreement wi th the United States entered into force on 
1 January 2006.  It is a comprehensive agreement which covers all areas closely or remotely relating 
to trade:  liberalization of goods and services, inte llectual property, rules of origin, investment and 
social and environmental issues. WT/TPR/G/217 Trade Policy Review 
Page 12 
 
 
IV. IMPROVEMENT OF THE BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT 
59. Since the last trade policy review, Morocco h as fully committed itself to a policy of reform 
aimed at improving the investment environment and securing business relations in keeping with its determination to become a proper regional  platform for investment and exports. 
(1) T
HE JUDICIAL SYSTEM  
60. Efforts in this area have involved the moderniz ation of the legal system, strengthening both 
the material and human capacity of judicial estab lishments and providing tr aining for judges and other 
law officials in order to speed up the legal deci sion-making process.  Efforts were also made to 
develop the use of new information and comm unication technologies to ensure the necessary 
transparency with respect to the processing of cases. 
61. At the same time, Law No. 08.05 was passed in order to facilitate dispute settlement 
procedures and to eliminate obstacles to inv estment, providing a complete and comprehensive 
regulatory framework for arbitration and media tion at the national and international levels. 
62. Similarly, in the framework of Morocco's partne rships with other countries, arbitration centres 
were set up and a training programme organized for mediators. 
(2) FINANCE  
63. In the overall framework of the government's economic strategy, which aims to create the 
necessary conditions for strong and sustainable gr owth, Morocco introduced a number of significant 
reforms to the finance sector during the pe riod 2002-2007.  These include, in particular: 
- Increased autonomy for the Central Bank with respect to monetary policy and 
strengthening of the institutional framework for supervision of the financial system 
by adopting, in 2005, a new law on the status of Bank Al Maghirib; 
- adoption in 2006 of a new modern banking la w in line with international standards; 
- improvement of the efficiency of financial markets by adopting several texts aimed at 
modernizing the capital market; 
- adoption in 2007 of a law on money laundering, enabling Morocco to bring its 
legislation into line with the releva nt international laws and charters. 
(3) IMPROVEMENT OF BUSINESS COMPETITIVENESS  
64. Morocco has taken a number of measures, inter alia  in the following areas: 
- Support for the financing of PMEs by se tting up a certain number of guarantee funds 
to facilitate the financing of measures ai med at modernization and the upgrading of 
the production apparatus; 
- the Financial Restructuring Fund; 
- reorganization of the Bu siness Upgrading Fund ( Fonds national de mise à niveau  – 
FOMAN); Morocco WT/TPR/G/217 
 Page 13 
 
 
- introduction of a new self-employment support mechanism; 
- introduction of new measures in favour of young promoters encountering difficulties; 
- adoption of the Law on Venture Capital. 
(4) TAX REFORM  
65. During the period 2002-2007, the financial system was constantly adapted so as to become an 
indication tool for investment and production.  The changes included: 
- Reduction in the common corporation tax (IS) rate from 35 to 30 per cent.  For the 
financial sector, the rate was reduced from 39.6 per cent to 37 per cent; 
- downward adjustment of the income tax (IR) scale (reduction of the marginal rate, 
raising of the exemption threshold and review of the tax brackets).  The maximum 
IR rate was reduced from 44 per cent to 41 per cent; 
- exemption of dividends earned abroad by resident companies;  and 
- introduction of a system of electronic filing and electronic payment by companies of 
taxes and social security. 
(5) A BETTER FRAMEWORK FOR THE PROTECTION OF INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY  
66. Since Morocco's last trade policy review, the count ry's legislation in the different intellectual 
property areas has been amended and developed to  bring it into conformity with the highest 
international standards. 
67. Law No. 17-97 on the protection of industrial pr operty entered into force in December 2004 
and was amended in 2006 by Law No. 31-05,  the main contributions of which are: 
- Establishment of a system for opposing trademark registration; 
- creation of a national register of geographi cal indications and appellations of origin 
and the related system of opposition; 
- modernization of the procedure for f iling intellectual property applications; 
- extension of the term of patent protection; 
- electronic filing of applications for registration of trademarks. 
68. Regarding copyright and related rights, La w No. 02.00 was amended and completed by 
Law No. 34.05 which entered into force in Februa ry 2006, adding a number of new provisions which 
consist essentially of the following: 
- Improvement of the exclusive rights of authors and holders of related rights; 
- extension of the term of protection of economic rights; 
- special requirements relating to border measures; WT/TPR/G/217 Trade Policy Review 
Page 14 
 
 
- legal protection against the circumve ntion of technological measures. 
69. In the area of distinctive signs of origin and quality (SDOQ), and in the framework of the 
national policy for the upgrading of agricultural pr oducts and consumer pr otection, Law No. 25-06 on 
SDOQ was published in May 2008.  This law provi des for the recognition of these signs and the 
certification of foodstuffs and agricultural or fish eries products which meet the required conditions. 
70. The protection of new varieties of plants, govern ed by Law No. 9-94, was backed by the entry 
into force of the International Convention for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants on 
8 October 2006. 
71. Border measures were also reinforced by the a doption of a new set of customs regulations at 
the beginning of 2006. 
(6) A CONTEXT MORE CONDUCIVE TO COMPETITION  
72. In connection with Morocco's effo rts to ensure the conformity of its national laws with the 
principles of transparency, non-discrimination and fa irness laid down by the WTO, Law No. 06-99 on 
pricing freedom and competition, which came into  force in July 2001, marks a transition from a 
policy of price liberalization to a policy of compe tition.  Several steps have since been taken to 
implement this law, including the creation of a compe tition council with an advisory role in respect to 
concentration, anti-competitive practices and prices. 
(7) IMPROVED INVESTMENT PROMOTION  
73. In keeping with its international commitments , Morocco has introduced a series of measures 
and reforms to strengthen the framework in which co mpanies operate and to offer foreign investors a 
legal framework that meets international standards.   These efforts were backed by the conclusion of 
several bilateral agreements for the promotion and protection of investment and conventions for the 
avoidance of double taxation. 
74. At the same time Government of Morocco has set about improving the institutional 
framework, inter alia  by setting up the Moroccan agency for the development of investment, the 
Investment Commission (CI), sixteen regional investment centres (CRI), the National Committee for 
the Simplification of Investment Procedures (CNPI) and the regional commission in charge of certain 
land-related transactions. 
75. Moreover, the Investment Charter is an incen tive mechanism that aims to promote domestic 
and foreign private investment, to reduce the cost of  investment, to simplify the procedures, to grant 
tax relief and to confirm the free transfer of foreign capital invested, etc.  These incentives are 
reinforced in the different laws on finance. 
(8) GOVERNMENT PROCUREMENT :  AN APPROACH IN LINE WITH THE NEW CHANGES  
76. The reform of the regulations for awarding govern ment procurement contracts is part of the 
overall reform agenda aimed at adapting governme nt administration to the ongoing changes and to 
Morocco's commitments towards its partners. 
77. Decree No. 2-06-388 of 5 February 2007 est ablishing the requirements and methods for 
awarding government contracts as well as certain ru les governing their management and control was 
designed to fit in with this new approach to the management of public finances based on respect for Morocco WT/TPR/G/217 
 Page 15 
 
 
the principles of free access to public contracts, equal treatment of candidates, transparency, and 
simplification of procedures. 
V. STRUCTURING PROJECTS 
78. A few years ago, Morocco launched a series of structuring projects aimed at producing a 
leverage effect for the national economy. 
(1) BUILDING AND PUBLIC WORKS , INFRASTRUCTURE  
79. The continuing dynamism of this sector is attr ibutable to the launching of large-scale projects 
involving infrastructure and the development of to urist areas (Plan Azur), the Tangier Med project, 
the motorway plan, etc., not to mention the accel erated implementation of the new government 
strategy to promote housing in general,  and social housing in particular. 
80. The period 2002-2007 saw the materialization of  several projects involving border zones, 
industrial estates and special activity zones in different regions of the country. 
81. The new projects for support infrastructure fo r industrial activities (integrated industrial 
platforms) spread out through the different regions of the country provide equipment and support services in keeping with the highest international standards. 
(2) T
ELECOMMUNICATION AND NEW TECHNOLOGIES  
82. With an infrastructure that meets internationa l standards, the telecommunications sector in 
Morocco has been and remains par ticularly active.  The country has a network of 7,500 kilometres of 
extremely reliable high-speed optical fibre cables. 
83. The interest shown by foreign operators for the Moroccan telecommunications market is the 
result of the country's liberal policy in that area.  The policy was introduced in 1998 by Law 
No. 24-96.  In 2005, new licences were awarde d (fixed and mobile), and implementation was 
completed in 2006 with the awarding of 3G li cences.  Three operators now serve the Moroccan 
telecommunications market with one regulatory body. 
84. Similarly, a law on the electronic exchange of le gal data (Law No. 53-05) entered into force 
on 30 November 2007 in order to ta ke account of technological developments relating to the internet 
in general and e-commerce in particular.  A devel opment plan for the ICT sector was introduced for 
the period 2006-2012. 
(3) TRANSPORT  
85. The Moroccan government has undertaken extens ive reforms in the road freight services 
sector as well as the rail, air and maritime transport sectors and port services with the overall aim of 
liberalizing access to the market, professionalizing ope rators and encouraging private initiative, and 
introducing transparent regulations to ensure healthy and fair competition. 
(4) ENERGY  
86. Faced with a variety of challenges in the energy  sector and in order to ensure sustainable 
socio economic development, Morocco develope d a new national energy strategy, opting for 
technological and economic solutions that reflect a forward-looking vision. WT/TPR/G/217 Trade Policy Review 
Page 16 
 
 
87. The aim of this strategy is to achieve energy savings of 15 per cent by 2020 and to ensure 
security of supply through the diversification of sources and resources, an optimum electricity supply 
scheme and managed capacity planni ng.  The main pillars of this strategy are generalized access to 
energy at competitive prices, sustainable developmen t, and regional and inte rnational integration. 
(5) ADMINISTRATIVE SYSTEMS :  A POLICY OF PROXIMITY AND DECONCENTRATION  
88. Over these past few years, the Moroccan gove rnment has launched a vast project to 
modernize the public sector and introduce efficien t, flexible and rapid administration focusing on 
proximity and capable of meeting the demands of th e economic and social environment.  A number of 
measures have been taken to that end, involv ing the organization of ministerial departments, 
administrative deconcentration, and the dissemina tion of administrative formalities and procedures 
among users by making 560 administrative procedures available online. 
VI. NEW SECTORAL IMPETUS 
89. In spite of the current financial crisis, Morocco  has continued its effo rts to provide certain 
priority sectors with a fresh impetus because of their impact on the development of the national 
economy and in response to the ongoing changes in the world economy.  These sectors include 
tourism, industry, agriculture, crafts and distribution. 
(1) PLAN AZUR:  SUSTAINED GROWTH OF TOURISM  
90. Under the Vision 2010 plan for tourism, Morocc o aims to receive ten million tourists by 
2010, which involves expanding its accommodation capacity by 160,000 beds  and creating 600,000 
jobs.  The interim results of Vision 2010 are encouraging: 
- Concessions have been awarded for all of the tourist resorts of the Plan Azur and 
most of them are currently being built; 
- the urban and tourist environment of severa l traditional towns and tourist destinations 
are being upgraded; 
- there has been a sharp increas e in direct air links thanks to the liberalization of 
Moroccan air space in 2004 an d the implementation of the Open Sky Agreement with 
the European Union in 2006; 
- there has been a significant increase in em ployment and income levels generated by 
tourism, with a development that has exceeded that of the economy as a whole (8.8 per cent of GDP). 
91. In view of these encouraging results, a study h as been launched to develop a forward-looking 
vision for this strategy up to the year 2020. 
(2) E
MERGENCE :  A PROACTIVE PLAN FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF INDUSTRY AND SERVICES  
92. The "Emergence" Programme, adopted by the Government in 2007, aims to upgrade the 
country's infrastructure in the areas of technology, reception and business support by: 
- Strengthening the Métiers mondiaux du Maroc  (Global Trades of Morocco) by 
creating integrated industrial platforms, in particular for the automobile, aeronautical, 
electronics and offshoring sectors; Morocco WT/TPR/G/217 
 Page 17 
 
 
- consolidation of the traditional sectors such as textiles, agri-food and crafts. 
93. The planned Integrated Industrial Platforms (P2I) form the cornerstone of Morocco's effort to 
attract investors, and will essentially be made up of a one-stop shop, trai ning institutions, basic 
services and specific services.  They will also be cl osely integrated in the urban environment through 
special transport and logistical networks as well as basic infrastructure and housing. 
94. By focusing on the above sector s, Morocco aims to increase its GDP growth rate by 
1.6 per cent over the period 2008-2015, creating so me 440,000 jobs and reducing the trade deficit by 
50 per cent. 
(3) THE GREEN PLAN:  AN AMBITIOUS AGRICULTURAL PROGRAMME  
95. Morocco has developed a new, ambitious an d proactive approach to formulating its 
agricultural policy in order to address the challe nge of sustainable development and overcome the 
trade deficit. 
96. The sector has a number of advantages:  its competitiveness in terms of cost and skilled 
labour, its geographical proximity to the EC market, its comparative advantages for fresh and processed fruit and vegetables, and the potential to  develop a highly competitive industry for the 
processing of agri-food products. 
97. The strategy focuses on supporting small farm ers, developing a high valued-added 
agriculture, and developing its potential for produc ing tomatoes, strawberri es, sugar and milk and 
raising sheep and goats. 
98. This new strategy is expected to have a str ong impact growth in agricultural GDP and on the 
fight against poverty by 2015. 
(4) V
ISION 2015:   DEVELOPMENT OF THE CRAFTS SECTOR  
99. Morocco has always been very a ttached to its crafts sector, and has managed to preserve this 
heritage and to make the most of  the associated know-how.  Apart fro m its role as the living reflection 
of Moroccan identity, this sector has considerable  economic potential and competitive advantages that 
should enable it to conquer foreign markets. 
100. The Vision 2015 project for the development of this sector is the fruit of considerable 
reflection and discussion involving professionals from the sector either directly or through their 
representative organizations. 
101. The project has made job creation a major priority, and also hopes to boost export turnover, 
inter alia  via a policy of widespread promotion aimed at projecting an image of excellence for 
Moroccan crafts in the target markets and introduc ing crafts products into  the modern distribution 
networks. 
(5) THE "RAWAJ 2020"  PROJECT :  BETTER DISTRIBUTION OF GOODS AND SERVICES  
102. The "Rawaj 2020" project aims to moderniz e the local shop network in line with the 
development of the Moroccan economy as a whole and of domestic trade in particular, marked by the 
emergence and development of the retailing and distribution industry and the franchise chains. WT/TPR/G/217 Trade Policy Review 
Page 18 
 
 
103. The objective of the project is to turn Morocco into a shopping platform par excellence and to 
encourage the development of new modes of suppl y and distribution with a view to raising the 
commercial sector's share in GDP from DH 61 billion  in 2006 to DH 98 billion in 2012, and creating 
200,000 jobs during the period 2008-2012.  A fund known as the Fonds pour le développement du 
commerce et de la distribution  (Fund for the Development of Trade and Distribution) was created for 
that purpose. 
(6) A CONCERTED STRATEGY FOR DEVELOPMENT AND PROMOTION OF EXPORTS  
104. Morocco's opening up to the world market, its pr oximity to the major demand markets, and its 
free trade agreements have provided the c ountry with one billion potential customers. 
105. Morocco is implementing an action plan to promot e its exports as part of its efforts to develop 
supply in the industrial, agricultural and services sectors.  This action plan aims to double the volume of Moroccan exports between 2009 and 2015 by focusing promotion efforts on priority 
product-market matches identified in advance. 
106. Action will be taken in the marketing area to he lp the priority sectors to penetrate foreign 
target markets.  At the same time, large, medium and small Moroccan firms will benefit from the 
market surveys carried out by the State and the training, support and communication activities 
conducted by the Moroccan Export Promo tion Centre in the target markets. 
__________