Morocco among top five car exporters to Europe

Morocco was among the top five car exporters to Europe in 2018, according to the latest report by the European Automobile Manufacturers Association (ACEA).

Morocco ranked fifth, exporting 283,614 units and Moroccan-made cars account for 7.8 percent of all cars exported to the EU, according to ACEA report.

Morocco’s car exports to the EU increased 17 percent over 2017, when it exported 240,908 cars.

In terms of value, however, the automotive giants overshadowed Morocco.

Japan, in the lead, sold €9.9 billion worth of cars in the EU. Turkey followed with €8.7 billion, South Korea with €7.1 billion, the US with €5.5 billion, Mexico with €5.2 billion, and South Africa with €4 billion.

The six countries account for almost 90 percent of the total value of cars that the EU imported last year, the ACEA report said.

Morocco held a high market position in terms of value for utility vehicle and bus exports.

In 2018, it sold €234 million worth of this type of vehicle in the EU, compared with €201 million in 2017, a rise of 16.6 percent. Morocco ranked fourth behind Turkey, South Africa, and Thailand.

Last year, 79 million cars were sold worldwide, a slight drop of a fraction of a percentage point compared to 2017.

In 2018, EU car export volumes fell slightly by 1.6 percent, while imports surged by 9.3 percent.

The ACEA is one of the main industry organizations in the EU. It was originally founded in 1972. It represents major market players such as BMW, Ford, Honda, and Renault.