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PRESS/TPRB/317 
24 June 2009 
 
(09-3030) 
TRADE POLICY REVIEW: MOROCCO 
Further trade reforms would sustain economic growth 
The economic and trade reforms pursued by Moro cco since its previous Trade Policy Review in 
2003 have contributed to the positive overall perf ormance of its economy, including its growing 
diversification, with an annual real GDP growth rate of 4.5% on average during the period 2002-
2007, and 5.8% in 2008; nonetheless, the economy is beginning to feel the negative impact of the 
current economic crisis, according to a WTO Secretariat report on the trade policies and practices 
of Morocco. 
 Morocco has taken steps to liberalize its economic sectors, in particular key services. It has 
reduced the level of its average tariff protection by 13.2 percentage points to 20.2%. However, 
Morocco still imposes some tariffs at rates higher than the bound levels, and maintains a VAT regime that does not respect the principle of national treatment. 
 
The report notes that a taxation reform, including the simplification of the tariff structure through 
the elimination of variable duties, and a reduction of the number and levels of rates, particularly in 
the agricultural sector, would help Morocco to fully honour its multilateral commitments and would 
further simplify its trade regime.  
Improved commitments under the GATS would enable Morocco to consolidate its reforms in areas 
such as tourism and telecommunications, where its commitments fall short of the liberalization efforts already achieved. 
 
The report, along with a policy statement by the Government of Morocco, will be the basis for the 
fourth Trade Policy Review (TPR) of Morocco by the Trade Policy Review Body of the WTO on 24 
and 26 June 2009. 
 
The following documents are available in MS Wo rd format on the WTO web-site. They can be 
downloaded at http://www.wto.org/english/ tratop_e/tpr_e/tp317_e.htm  PRESS/TPRB/317 
Page 2 of 2 
 
 
• Secretariat reports 
> Contents and summary observations  
> Economic environment  > Trade and investment regimes  
> Trade policies and practices by measure  
> Trade policies by sector  > Appendix tables  
• Report by the Government of Morocco 
• Chairperson’s concluding remarks  
• Minutes of the meeting (available appr oximately six weeks after the meeting). 
Note 
Trade Policy Reviews are an exercise, mandated in the WTO Agreement, in which member 
countries’ trade and related policies are examined and evaluated at regular intervals. Significant 
developments that may have an impact on the global trading system are also monitored. For each 
review, two documents are prepared: a policy stat ement by the government of the member under 
review, and a detailed report written independently by the WTO Secretariat. These two documents 
are then discussed by the WTO’s full membership in  the Trade Policy Review Body (TPRB). These 
documents and the proceedings of the TPRB’s meetings are published shortly afterwards.  
 
Print copies of the TPR publications are available for sale from the WTO Secretariat, Centre William 
Rappard, 154 rue de Lausanne, 1211 Genève 21 and through the on-line bookshop at http://onlinebookshop.wto.org/shop/articles.asp?Id_Rayon=38
 
or follow this path :  www.wto.org >resources > publications > trade policy reviews   
The TPR publications are also available from our co-publisher Bernan  
Press, 4501 Forbes Boulevard, Suite 200, Lanham, MD 20706-4346, United  States. Please call 1-800-865-3457 or e-mail: customercare@bernan.com.” 
Next reviews: 
Guyana: 8 and 10 July 2009 
Zambia: 27 and 29 July 2009 
Southern African Customs Union (SACU):  04 and 06 November 2009 
 For a full list of previous trade policy reviews and the full programme of future reviews go to 
http://www.wto.org/english/trat op_e/tpr_e/tpr_ e.htm#reviews 
or follow this path : www.wto.org > trade topics > trade policy reviews  
 
 
END