Distributing a product

Evolution of the sector

The distribution market in Morocco has developed since the Nineties rapidly. It accounts for 13% of the GDP.
The share of the small traditional brands nevertheless dominates the market. General and special interest mass distribution have developed only recently. Special interest mass distribution seems to have an important potential.

Market shares

Retail distribution, normally independent and specialised are very heterogeneous structures predominated by small family run shops.
Supermarkets and hypermarkets have recently developed in the cities of Casablanca, Rabat, Marrakech and in some other big cities, and they represent currently about 10% of the sales.
These groups market primarily local products (70 to 80% of the products). Morocco has approximately 200 stores with area larger than 300 m² and 17 hypermarkets.
Specialised mass distribution has developed one after another: The furniture and household electric appliances sector followed by the do-it-yourself sector which is currently experiencing a strong growth.

Organizations in the retail sector

Federation of Commerce and Services Federation of the Moroccan chambers of commerce, industry and services.

We can identify professional tradeshows on your sector.

Market access procedures

International Conventions

Member of World Trade Organisation
Party to the Kyoto protocol
Party to the Washington convention on International trade in endangered species of wild fauna and flora
Party to the Basel convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their disposal

Main International economic cooperation

Free Trade Agreement with the United States since 2005
Free Trade Agreement with the European Union since 2004.
In December 2009, Morocco and the EU signed an agreement to liberalize their trade in agri-food and fisheries. The agreement involved the removal of tariffs for 55% of total imports from Morocco.
The country is also part of the Greater Arab Free Trade Area (GAFTA), a pact of the Arab League entered into force in January 2005 which aims to form an Arabic free trade area.
The country have signed a trade agreement with 21 other countries in the São Paulo Round of the Global System of Trade Preferences among Developing Countries (GSTP).

Non tariff barriers

Pursuant to provisions of article 1 of the law no. 13-89 relating to foreign trade, goods are free to import. However, there are quantitative restrictions on imports relating to certain particular products such as powders and explosives, secondhand clothes or the retreads or used tyres these goods requiring import licenses. The list of goods subject to quantitative restriction as regards imports is available on the Ministry of Foreign Trade Website.

Customs duties and taxes on imports

In 2007, the simple average of the tariff range was 23% (42% for agricultural produce) and weighted average 9.3% according to the World Bank.
You can have access to the Moroccan customs tariff (in French).

Customs classification

Morocco applies the Harmonised Customs System. 

Import procedures

For free imports, the importer must sign a commitment for imports on form "Commitment for Import, Import license, Preliminary Import Declaration". The Commitment for Import must be drawn up in 5 specimens and accompanied by a proforma invoice in 5 copies specifying:
- the unit price expressed in ex-works value, FOB, FAS;
- quantity expressed in units of appropriate measures;
- trade description of the goods.

 

The importer must present it for domiciliation to a selected approved bank. After domiciliation, the bank gives the importer its copy and two copies, in a closed envelop, intended for the customs office. The Commitment for Import is valid for 6 months as from the date of its domiciliation and facilitates passing through customs and the financial settlement of the goods.

Finally, an application for exemption from customs duties is necessary for free imports allowed as duty-free within the framework of the tariff and commercial Agreements and Accords concluded between Morocco and certain countries, products belonging to tariff quotas envisaged by the Association and Free trade Agreements concluded between Morocco and the European Community and Morocco and the States of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA), and products belonging to tariff quotas envisaged by the Multilateral Agreements.

Application for exemption from customs duties is to be made in 4 copies on a form called "Customs Exemption Application" and accompanied by a pro forma invoice in 3 copies, specifying:
- the unit price expressed in ex-works value, FOB, FAS;
- quantity expressed in units of appropriate measures;
- trade description of the goods.
Application for exemption from customs duties is deposited with the Ministry of Foreign Trade; it is delivered by this department after consultation with the concerned Ministry. The decision to grant or refuse exemption from customs duties is notified to the concerned party by the Ministry of Foreign Trade. Exemption from customs duties is valid for a maximum of 6 months as from the date of the stamp of the Ministry for Foreign Trade.

Import of goods is further subject to the invoice, the import title and, if necessary other documents required according to the nature of the products, on presentation at the customs office within 60 days as from the deposit of the summary declaration, a detailed declaration on a form called "Unique Declaration of Merchandise" (D.U.M).

In the case of imports you can make an advance payment up to 40% of the transaction. The advance payment is authorized for certain products to the limit of the value of DH 200,000 (see Circular 1718 of 1st August, 2007). For more information on the framework of the exchange transactions regulation, consult the Moroccan Changes Office's website.

Importing samples

Samples can enter without custom duties, subject to a deposit, if they are reexported within 12 months

For further information

Customs and Excise and Indirect Taxes Service (only in French)
Moroccan Center for Export Promotion

We can indicate you which are the customs duties applied to your product.

Find out the local taxes that apply to your product.

Organizing goods transport

Main useful means of transport

Roadways dominate inland transport in Morocco, providing 90% of the mobility of the people and 75% of flows of goods except phosphate, on a 57,500 km long highway network of which 32,100 is paved, in addition to nearly 800 km of highways.
Railways, almost 2000km long, ensures annual transport of more than 30 million tons of goods and 1 million travelers.
Bestowed with a 3,500 km long coastline distributed on the Atlantic and the Mediterranean Ocean, Morocco has 27 harbour cities and 30 ports to which the Tangier Med port will be added, providing a traffic of almost 60 Million tons and transport of 4 million people. Nearly 90% of Moroccan exports expressed in tonnage pass through the seas. Morocco has about fifteen airports, domestic and international annually ensuring transport of 7 million travelers and 51 Million tons of freight.
Link to a specialised information portal.

Ports

Website of Moroccan ports

Airports

National Office of Airports

Sea transport organizations

Merchant Navy Department (DMM) of the Ministry of Equipment and Transports

Air transport organizations

Department of Civil Aviation of the Ministry of Equipment and Transport

Road transport organizations

Department of Roads and Road Traffic of the Ministry of Equipment and Transports

Rail transport organizations

Ministry of Equipment and Transports

Get a ballpark figure for transportation costs for your product in this country through a shipping estimate.

Identifying a supplier

Type of production

Chemical (derived from phosphate)
Food processing
Textile-clothing
Parts for the aircraft industry

Business directories

Marweb
Arabo
Investing in Morocco
Collections of Morocco (in French)

Manufacturers associations of the main industries

List of Sectoral federations on the CGEM site

Trade Agencies and their representations abroad

Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Services of Casablanca
Moroccan Federation of Chambers of Commerce, Industry and Services
Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Services of Rabat
Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Services of Tetouan
Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Services of Tanger
Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Services of Marrakech

Enterprises federation

General Confederation of Companies of Morocco

Standards

National standards organizations

National Service of Standardisation of Moroccan Industry

Integration in the international standards network

 Member of International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO).

Classification of standards

For standards of national origin: NM + business sector + sub-sector + index of classification - then possibly the year
For standards depicting international standards: NM + ISO + the ISO standard number - then possibly the year

Online consultation of standards

Online Standards, the SNIMAc catalog

Certification organizations

National Service of Standardisation of Moroccan Industry

Find out the standards and labelling requirements that apply to your products.

Intellectual Property

National organizations

L'OMPIC (Moroccan Office of Industrial and Commercial Property) handles the registration of industrial patents, drawings and models and brands in Morocco. Consult also the Moroccan office of copyright.

Regional organizations

Nil

International membership

Member of the WIPO (World Intellectual Property Organization)
Signatory to the Paris Convention for the Protection of Intellectual Property