Morocco asks Egypt to abide by fair trade rules

Moroccan Trade Minister has asked Egyptian peer to abide by fair trade principles in line with the Agadir Free Trade deal after Egyptian authorities blocked on purpose a cargo of Dacia cars made in Morocco.

Trade Minister Moulay Hafid Alamy told MPs he complained to his Egyptian peer about the unjustified delays and waved the card of reciprocity.

He said that cars made by the same company at Somaca factory in Casablanca were allowed in while a cargo of 630 Dacia cars was blocked, adding that delays in Egyptian ports may reach up to 3 months.

Such Egyptian obstacles to trade cost Morocco up to 6 billion dirhams annually, Alamy said, deploring that out of five containers imported from Egypt three contain Chinese goods that were given a false origin ticket.

Alamy said that his department was examining all free trade deals and that firm reactions will be taken in case of unfair trade practices.

Morocco has renegotiated its trade deal with Turkey last year introducing a customs duty of 90% on 1200 industrial goods to help redress trade imbalances that cost Morocco a deficit of 2 billion dollars annually in Ankara’s favor.