Customs returns progress by 3.1% in 2000

Customs revenues improved by 3.1% in 2000 to reach 36,09 billion DH (US$ 3.28 billion) compared to 34.99 Billion DH (US$ 3.18 billion) in 1999, says the newsletter of the customs and indirect taxes administration.

The amount, representing 44.3% of the state general budget ordinary revenues, is made of import duties (12.77 billion DH), VAT (12.27 Bln DH), fees on the Maghreb-Europe gas pipeline (634.3 Mln DH), fees on phosphates exploitation (568.4 Mln DH) and other receipts (286.5 Mln DH).

During 2000, fiscal pressure on imports went down from 13% in 1998 to 10.7% in 2000, as a result of a process to reduce customs taxation on external trade and of the free trade agreements signed between Morocco and several countries.