RESTRICTED
WORLD TRADE G/STR/Q1/MAR/1
26June 1996
ORGANIZATION(96-2451)
Original: English Working Party onState Trading Enterprises
QUESTIONS POSED BYTHE UNITED STATES CONCERNING
THE ARTICLE XVII NOTIFICATION OFMOROCCO1
Thefollowing communication, dated 18June 1996, hasbeen received from thePermanent
Mission oftheUnited States.
_______________
1. WenotethatMorocco didnotinclude COMAPRA andtheMinistry ofCommerce andIndustry
initsArticle XVII notification. Weunderstand thatCOMAPRA ischarged with procuring domestic
oilseed crops inMorocco andthattheMinistry ofCommerce andIndustry oversees theimport of
oilseeds.
Could Morocco explain theoperation ofthese entities intheoildseed market andwhythese
entities were notincluded inthenotification?
2. Wenote thatTobacco Board "deals with imports andexports, having atobacco marketing
monopoly".
CouldMoroccoexplainwhattheTobaccoBoard'sspecialrightorprivilegeis,whetheritengages
ininternational trade, whether entities areallowed toengage ininternational trade, andhow
thefixed domestic prices relate toimport, resale andexport prices?
3. Wenote thattheNational TeaandSugar Board (ONTS) "has amonopoly inthemarketing
ofsugar, which isduetobeabolished. TheONTS provides themarket with aregular andappropriate
supply ofsugar."
Could Morocco explain thecriteria used todetermine thequantity tobeimported?
4. Could Morocco explain thecurrent status oftheNational Interprofessional Board forCereals
andPulses (ONICL)? Weunderstand thatinthepastONICL conducted import tenders forwheat and
barley andissued licences toimporters forthose commodities. Areother commercial entities allowed
tomarket cereals domestically and/or purchase cereal imports? Weunderstand thatMorocco isin
theprocess ofredefining ONICL 'sauthority withrespect totheprocurement andimportation ofgrains.
Could Morocco clarify thehistoric andcurrent practices ofONICL inthewheat andbarely market?
1G/STR/N/1/MAR.
./.G/STR/Q1/MAR/1
Page 2
5. Wenote thattheMoroccan Phosphates Board (OCP) maintains amonopoly inthemining of
phosphate ore,andthatthequantity andprice ofexports isdetermined bythemarket. Domestic prices
arefixed bythegovernment. Could Morocco please explain what factors areused bytheGovernment
tofixthedomestic price level fixed andhow thedomestic fixed price compares totheexport price?
6. Morocco alsodidnotnotify itsOffice Nationale deRecherches etd'Exploitations Petrolieres
(ONAREP). Weunderstand thatONAREP manages andcoordinates hydrocarbon exploration and
production.Forexample,ONAREP allocatesprospectingpermitstodomesticandforeignoilcompanies,
which share production costs andrevenues with ONAREP. Inthepast, weunderstand there wasa
state-owned Societe Nationale deProduit Petroliers thatalsoplayed animportant roleinMorocco 's
hydrocarbon market.
Would Morocco explain theoperation onONAREP andtheSociete Nationale deProduit
Petroliers andwhy they arenotincluded initsnotification.