Doing Business and Investing in Morocco

* Morocco's GDP grew on average 5% a year for the last ten years coinciding with the arrival of King Mohammed 6 in July 1999 who engaged in major infrastructure and transport investments, education, business, economic and social reforms. It reduced the minimum capital required to start a new business from 100,000 to 10,000 dirham; Eased transfer of property by cutting the transfer tax from 5 percent to 2.5 percent of the property's value;Simplified its tax rules by combining multiple tax regulations into one source, making compliance easier. Morocco was one of the top market reformer in the Middle East and North Africa in the last 5 years, according to the new report by the World Bank and the International Finance Corporation (IFC). Morocco cut the cost of starting a business, complying with tax regulations, and doing property transfers, all measures that can help support job creation, an urgent challenge across the whole region.

* In 2010 a Deutsche Bank Research department Report that the Moroccan economy is "one of the most dynamic economies in the North African region," underlining that Morocco's economy, which boasts promising potentials, is way ahead the economies of the North African region (Egypt, Libya, Tunisia and Algeria) thanks to the partnership between the kingdom and the EU.

* Morocco is the UK's nearest exotic location, about 2 hours flights from major UK airports, London is on the same time zone as Casablanca, the business capital. Morocco is considered a gateway to Europe, Africa and the Middle East.

* Morocco has a new free trade agreements with the USA. The U.S.-Moroccan Free Trade Agreement (FTA) is one of the most comprehensive free trade agreements that the U.S. has ever negotiated. " A free trade agreement bolsters Morocco's courageous economic reforms, creates economic opportunities for both of our peoples and solidifies our strong relationship with a key partner." - Robert B. Zoellick, U.S. Trade Representative " I regard a free trade agreement as a significant encouragement to the economic and political reforms initiated by the Kingdom, and a powerful tool in the development of bilateral relations." - Taïb Fassi Fihri, Associate Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Kingdom of Morocco. In consequences, Total bilateral trade between Morocco and the U.S. represented $1.166 million through the third quarter of 2009 (end of September) compared to $1.119 million over the same period in 2008.

* Properties in Morocco are approximately one third of the price for comparable builds in Spain. The major cities of Morocco have recorded capital growth of over 30% in the last 3 years. In terms of property investments, thanks to the king Mohamed the sixth, all non Moroccan can own properties in any area of Morocco. (There are restrictions for agricultural and mining lands)

* Moroccan Trade: Exports--$14.037 billion (27% GDP). Major markets--EU 71.5%, India 4.1%, U.S. 2.6%, and Brazil 2.4%. Imports-- $17.68 billion (34% GDP, 2005). Major suppliers--EU 52.1%, Saudi Arabia 4.8%, Russia 6.7%, China 5.2%, U.S. 3.4%. The main industries in Morocco are phosphate rock mining and processing, food export and processing, leather goods, textiles, arts and crafts, construction and tourism. Morocco owns about 2/3 of the world's phosphate reserves.

More Moroccan Business News and Investment Opportunities www.investinginmorocco.co.uk