Moroccan, Tunisian business council meets

The Moroccan - Tunisian business council held in Casablanca Friday a meeting to examine means to enlarge the list of goods exchanged between the two Maghreban states.

The council's president, Mohamed Mezzour, said trade relations between Morocco and Tunisia are in constant progress.

The council members called for more efforts to enhance exchanges between the two countries and to intensify partnership between their respective enterprises.

Bilateral trade is in favor of Morocco with a total amount of $ 103 million in 1998 against 90 million in 1997.

At the level of the Arab states, Morocco is Tunisia's second client and supplier, soaking 10.3 % of Tunisia's exports and providing 12.2 % of the north African country's imports.

Morocco's exports to Tunisia are mainly made up of chemical wood paste, soluble coffee, tires, car spare parts, and industrial oils. The kingdom's imports from Tunisia consist of plastic items, electric transformers and TV sets.

Morocco and Tunisia are bound by an agreement setting up a free trade area that was concluded in March 1999. The accord provides for the suppression --as of the signing date-- of all duties on some 2,000 nonagricultural products carrying below 10 % customs duty.

The other custom duties will be gradually lowered up to year 2007.