GENERAL AGREEMENT GATS/SC/87
15April 1994
ONTRADE INSERVICES (94-1085)
TUNISIA
Schedule ofSpecific Commitments
(This isauthentic inFrench only)
____________________TUNISIA -SCHEDULE OFSPECIFIC COMMITMENTS
Modes ofsupply: 1) Cross-border supply 2) Consumption abroad 3) Commercial presence 4) Presence ofnatural persons
Sector orsubsector Limitations onmarket access Limitations onnational treatment Additional commitments
I. HORIZONTAL COMMITMENTS
Foreign Investment
Movement ofpersonnel
Exercise ofcommercial
activities3) Investments inservices other thanfinancial
services arenotlimited
4) Unbound, except inthefollowing cases:
enterprises thatarewholly export-oriented
mayrecruit fourmanagerial and
supervisory staffofforeign nationality,
pursuant totherelevant Tunisian legislation
3),4) Natural orlegal persons whodonot
possess Tunisian nationality mayengage
directly orindirectly inacommercial
activity onlyunder theconditions
established bytherelevant Tunisian
legislation (Decree LawNo.61-14 of
30August 1961 andtexts governing the
various commercial activities)3) With respect toservices activities thatare
notwholly export-oriented, theInvestment
Commission approves anyparticipation
exceeding 50percentoftheequity ofthe
company
4) Compliance withconditions forentry and
stayofforeigners:
-Anyforeign natural person wishing to
engage inasalaried activity ofany
kindmust have acontract of
employment endorsed bythe
competent authorities
3),4) Foreign natural orlegal persons
wishing toengage inatrading activity in
Tunisia must beinpossession ofatrader 's
licence
Legal persons possess Tunisian nationality
when theyfulfil thefollowing four
conditions:
GATS/SC/87
Page1TUNISIA (continued)GATS/SC/87
Page2
Modes ofsupply: 1) Cross-border supply 2) Consumption abroad 3) Commercial presence 4) Presence ofnatural persons
Sector orsubsector Limitations onmarket access Limitations onnational treatment Additional commitments
Therequirements forobtaining atrader 's
licence areasfollows:
-Allforeigners must submit afile
consisting, inparticular, ofan
information sheet anddocuments
testifying tothequalifications ofthe
person concerned
-Inthecaseofcompanies, acopy of
thememorandum andarticles of
association isrequired
Thecriteria forissuing atrader 'slicence
areasfollows:
Licences areissued:
-Toforeigners whose spouse possesses
Tunisian nationality
-When theperson offoreign nationality
isanative resident inTunisia for
several years
-When theproposed activities will
generate technology transfer andjobs
and/or mayhelptopromote exports in
theservices sectora) Areestablished inaccordance withthelaws
inforce andhave their registered place of
business inTunisia
b) Atleast 50percentoftheir share capital
must consist ofregistered securities heldby
Tunisian natural orlegal persons
c) Amajority oftheir board ofdirectors or
management orsupervisory board must be
natural orlegal persons ofTunisian
nationality
d) Their chairman, managing director or
management must benatural persons of
Tunisian nationality
Inthecaseofpublic limited companies and
where thefunctions ofchairman ofthe
board ofdirectors andthose ofthe
managing director areseparated, the
managing director must have resident 's
status within themeaning oftheexchange
regulationsTUNISIA (continued)
Modes ofsupply: 1) Cross-border supply 2) Consumption abroad 3) Commercial presence 4) Presence ofnatural persons
Sector orsubsector Limitations onmarket access Limitations onnational treatment Additional commitments
Exchange control 1)2) Under Article 1ofLawNo.76-18 of21
January 1976 asamended byLaw
No.93-48 of3May 1993, there areno
restrictions ontransfers relating toforeign
payments made inconnection with:
-Current transactions undertaken in
conformity withthelegislation
governing such transactionsNatural orlegal persons whodonot
possess Tunisian nationality maynot
engage inthefollowing activities, inany
form whatsoever, unless otherwise
permitted bythecompetent authority:
buildings manager, commission agent,
broker, commercial agent, consignee,
general representative, sales representative,
commercial traveller, commercial
representative
Unbound
-Therealnetproceeds ofthetransfer
ordisposal ofcapital invested by
means oftheimportation offoreign
currency, even ifthese proceeds are
greater thanthecapital initially
invested, inthecaseofinvestments
made within thecontext ofthe
relevant legislation
GATS/SC/87
Page3TUNISIA (continued)GATS/SC/87
Page4
Modes ofsupply: 1) Cross-border supply 2) Consumption abroad 3) Commercial presence 4) Presence ofnatural persons
Sector orsubsector Limitations onmarket access Limitations onnational treatment Additional commitments
-Anyexportation ofcapital andany
transaction orcommitment thatgives
ormaygiverisetoatransfer, relating
totransactions other thanthose
mentioned inthefirstparagraph of
thisarticle, aswellasanyforeign debt
offsetting, aresubject tothegeneral
authorization oftheMinister of
Finance given after consultation with
theCentral Bank ofTunisia
Thisarticle does notapply tonon-resident
enterprises which arefreetocarry outany
capital transaction withorinaforeign
country. Forresident enterprises
authorization consists:
-With respect toloans: inthe
examination ofthefinancial terms of
theloanTUNISIA (continued)
Modes ofsupply: 1) Cross-border supply 2) Consumption abroad 3) Commercial presence 4) Presence ofnatural persons
Sector orsubsector Limitations onmarket access Limitations onnational treatment Additional commitments
-With respect toforeign investment, a
company withexport business maybe
authorized toinvest abroad insofaras
theinvestment isnecessary toits
export activities from Tunisia
-Asregards security transactions,
Decree 77-60 of27July1977 (stocks
andshares), authorization isgranted
after verification ofthefinancial terms
andtheregularity ofthetransaction
Inthiscase, there arenorestrictions onthe
transfer oftheproceeds ofthedisposal of
investments financed inforeign currency
Investment intheform ofacontribution in
kindissubject toauthorization which is
granted after anexpert appraisal to
determine thenature ofthecontribution
anditsvalue
Deposits: non-residents mayfreely open
foreign currency accounts. AstheDinar is
notaconvertible currency, non-residents
maynotopen deposit accounts inthat
currency
GATS/SC/87
Page5TUNISIA (continued)GATS/SC/87
Page6
Modes ofsupply: 1) Cross-border supply 2) Consumption abroad 3) Commercial presence 4) Presence ofnatural persons
Sector orsubsector Limitations onmarket access Limitations onnational treatment Additional commitments
Acquisition ofland 3),4)None, except foragricultural land, which
cannot betheobject ofappropriation bythe
foreigners. Nevertheless, foreigners may
opttouseagricultural landwithin the
long-term leasing system forupto40years
renewable3),4)The acquisition byforeign investors ofland
orother realestate forthepurpose of
developing industrial/tourist projects and
other services issubject toadministrative
authorization. Authorization isgranted
after therequest hasbeen examined to
ensure thatitconforms withtheuse
(tourism, agriculture, industry) reserved for
thelandinthenational development plan
II. SECTOR-SPECIFIC COMMITMENTS
7. FINANCIAL SERVICES
A) Allinsurance and
insurance related services
Direct insurance
(CPC 8121-8129)1) Risks situated inTunisia andpersons
domiciled there maybeinsured onlyunder
contracts concluded withresident insurance
enterprises (Insurance Code, Article 44)1) UnboundTUNISIA (continued)
Modes ofsupply: 1) Cross-border supply 2) Consumption abroad 3) Commercial presence 4) Presence ofnatural persons
Sector orsubsector Limitations onmarket access Limitations onnational treatment Additional commitments
Theair,seaandlandtransport ofgoods
forimport must beinsured inTunisia
2) None, fornatural andlegal persons
resident abroad
3) a)Commercial presence offoreign
supplier intheform ofasubsidiary
company:
-setupinaccordance withTunisian
law;
-asapublic limited company ormutual
society;
-minimum capital requirements
b)Commercial presence oftheforeign
supplier intheform ofabranch
office:
-work withnon-residents
4) Unbound, expect asindicated inthe
horizontal section2) Unbound
3) Unbound
Unbound
4) Unbound
GATS/SC/87
Page7TUNISIA (continued)GATS/SC/87
Page8
Modes ofsupply: 1) Cross-border supply 2) Consumption abroad 3) Commercial presence 4) Presence ofnatural persons
Sector orsubsector Limitations onmarket access Limitations onnational treatment Additional commitments
C. Reinsurance and
retrocession services
(CPC 81299)1) Prior approval ofreinsurers wishing to
accept reinsurance operations from the
Tunisian market (Insurance
Code, Article 68)
Appointment ofarepresentative accepted
bytheMinister ofFinance (Insurance
Code, Article 68)
2) None
3) -Approval prior toacceptance of
reinsurance operations
-Appointment ofaresponsible officer
accepted bytheMinister ofFinance
4) Unbound, except asindicated inthe
horizontal section1) Unbound
2) Unbound
3) Unbound
4) UnboundTUNISIA (continued)
Modes ofsupply: 1) Cross-border supply 2) Consumption abroad 3) Commercial presence 4) Presence ofnatural persons
Sector orsubsector Limitations onmarket access Limitations onnational treatment Additional commitments
Insurance intermediation
a) Insurance agents forlife
insurance
(CPC 81401)
b) Insurance broking
Other auxiliary services
Claim assessment
(CPC 81403)1) Tunisian nationality required (Insurance
Code, Article 73)
2) None
3) Tunisian nationality required (Insurance
Code, Article 73). Approval ofthe
Minister ofFinance
4) Unbound, except asindicated inthe
horizontal section
1) None, except forhorizontal limitations
2) None
3) Tunisian nationality required. Approval of
theMinister ofFinance
4) Unbound, except asindicated inthe
horizontal section
1) Tunisian nationality required (Decree
No.92-2260 of31December 1992)
2) None1) Unbound
2) Unbound
3) Unbound
4) Unbound
1) Unbound
2) Unbound
3) Unbound
4) Unbound
1) Unbound
2) Unbound
GATS/SC/87
Page9TUNISIA (continued)GATS/SC/87
Page10
Modes ofsupply: 1) Cross-border supply 2) Consumption abroad 3) Commercial presence 4) Presence ofnatural persons
Sector orsubsector Limitations onmarket access Limitations onnational treatment Additional commitments
Financial services other
thaninsurance
(CPC 811)3) Tunisian nationality required (Decree
No.92-2260 of31December 1992)
4) Unbound, except asindicated inthe
horizontal section
1),2) None
3) "Resident" bank (Law No.67-51 of
7December 1967):
-Approval oftheMinistry ofFinance
-Limited company under Tunisian law
oranyother legal status accepted in
theauthorization
-Minimum capital requirements.3) Unbound
4) Unbound
1),2) Unbound
3) NoneTUNISIA (continued)
Modes ofsupply: 1) Cross-border supply 2) Consumption abroad 3) Commercial presence 4) Presence ofnatural persons
Sector orsubsector Limitations onmarket access Limitations onnational treatment Additional commitments
"Non-resident" bank (Law No.85-108 of
6December 1985):
-Foreign banks, branches oragencies
offoreign banks whose registered
place ofbusiness isabroad;
-Public limited company under
Tunisian law;
-Approval oftheMinistry ofFinance
Financial leasing companies:
-Approval oftheMinistry ofFinance;
-Resident public limited companies
under Tunisian law;
-Financial leasing companies maybe
setupunder LawNo.85-108 of
6December 1985 forthepromotion of
banking andfinance institutions
working essentially withnon-residents.
Investment companies:
-Authorization oftheMinistry of
Finance;Unbound
None
Unbound
GATS/SC/87
Page11TUNISIA (continued)GATS/SC/87
Page12
Modes ofsupply: 1) Cross-border supply 2) Consumption abroad 3) Commercial presence 4) Presence ofnatural persons
Sector orsubsector Limitations onmarket access Limitations onnational treatment Additional commitments
-Resident public limited companies
under Tunisian lawestablished under
oneofthefollowing twocategories:
a)Closed-ended investment company
withaminimum capital requirement;
b)Open-ended investment company with
aminimum capital requirement:
Investment companies maybesetupunder
LawNo.85-108 of6December 1985 for
thepromotion ofbanking andfinance
institutions working essentially withnon-
residents.
Stock-market intermediaries
-Must beapproved bytheStock
Exchange Board andbeTunisian
natural orlegal persons orTunisian
banksNone
Unbound
UnboundTUNISIA (continued)
Modes ofsupply: 1) Cross-border supply 2) Consumption abroad 3) Commercial presence 4) Presence ofnatural persons
Sector orsubsector Limitations onmarket access Limitations onnational treatment Additional commitments
4) Unbound, except fortheforeign
supervisory staffofnon-resident financial
institutions: none4) Forresident financial institutions, the
chairman andmanaging director ofabank
established under Tunisian lawmust beof
Tunisian nationality; ifthefunction of
chairman oftheboard ofdirectors andthat
ofmanaging director areseparated, oneof
these positions must befilled byaTunisian
national
Thechairman andmanaging director orthe
managing director ofabank established
under Tunisian lawmust have resident 's
status within themeaning oftheexchange
regulations. Themanager oftheTunisian
establishments ofaforeign bank must have
resident 'sstatus inTunisia within the
meaning oftheexchange regulations.
However, special exemptions maybe
granted bytheCentral Bank. Noonemay
simultaneously manage, runorhave
authority tocommit twobanks, abank and
afinancial institution, orabank andan
insurance company.
GATS/SC/87
Page13TUNISIA (continued)GATS/SC/87
Page14
Modes ofsupply: 1) Cross-border supply 2) Consumption abroad 3) Commercial presence 4) Presence ofnatural persons
Sector orsubsector Limitations onmarket access Limitations onnational treatment Additional commitments
Inter-bank (wholesale
deposit services)
(CPC 81115)1) Unbound
2) None, forsubsidiaries andbranches of
Tunisian banks established abroad andfor
Tunisian natural persons residing abroad
However, residents aresubject to
authorization
3) None, butnon-resident institutions
established inTunisia areauthorized to
receive funds from residents. Such funds
must notexceed:
-foreach non-resident institution
established inTunisia, thesubscribed
amount ofitsparticipation, outofits
ownforeign-currency shareholders '
equity, inthecapital ofresident
enterprises
-forallnon-resident institutions
established inTunisia asawhole, the
ceiling of1.5percentofthedeposits
ofdeposit banks
4) Unbound1) Unbound
2) Unbound
3) None forresident institutions
4) UnboundTUNISIA (continued)
Modes ofsupply: 1) Cross-border supply 2) Consumption abroad 3) Commercial presence 4) Presence ofnatural persons
Sector orsubsector Limitations onmarket access Limitations onnational treatment Additional commitments
Other bank deposit
services
(CPC 81116)1) Unbound
2) None, however residents aresubject to
authorization
3) None, butnon-resident institutions
established inTunisia areauthorized to
receive funds from residents. Such funds
must notexceed:
-foreach non-resident institution
established inTunisia, thesubscribed
amount ofitsparticipation, from its
ownforeign-currency shareholders '
equity, inthecapital ofresident
enterprises
-forallnon-resident institutions
established inTunisia asawhole, the
ceiling of1.5percentofthedeposits
ofdeposit banks
4) Unbound1) Unbound
2) Unbound
3) None forresident institutions
4) Unbound
GATS/SC/87
Page15TUNISIA (continued)GATS/SC/87
Page16
Modes ofsupply: 1) Cross-border supply 2) Consumption abroad 3) Commercial presence 4) Presence ofnatural persons
Sector orsubsector Limitations onmarket access Limitations onnational treatment Additional commitments
Mortgage loanservices
(CPC 81131)
Personnel instalment loan
services
(CPC 81132) andcredit
cardservices
(CPC 81133)
Unittrust services
(CPC 81191)1) Unbound
2) Unbound
3) None, butnon-resident institutions
established inTunisia aresubject to
authorization
4) Unbound
1) None, solely fornon-resident financial
institutions established inTunisia witha
ceiling of10MDT/year forother
enterprises andsubject toauthorization for
private individuals
2) Unbound
3) None forresident institutions
4) Unbound
1) Unbound
2) Unbound
3) None
4) Unbound1) None
2) Unbound
3) None
4) Unbound
1) None
2) Unbound
3) None
4) Unbound
1) None
2) None
3) None
4) UnboundTUNISIA (continued)
Modes ofsupply: 1) Cross-border supply 2) Consumption abroad 3) Commercial presence 4) Presence ofnatural persons
Sector orsubsector Limitations onmarket access Limitations onnational treatment Additional commitments
Property unittrust
services
(CPC 81192)
Intermediation services
(CPC 81199)
Securing broking
services
(CPC 81321)1) Unbound
2) Unbound
3) Unbound
4) Unbound
1) Unbound
2) Unbound
3) None, butstock market intermediaries must
benatural orlegal persons ofTunisian
nationality orTunisian banks
4) Unbound
1) Unbound
2) Unbound
3) None, butstock market intermediaries must
benatural orlegal persons ofTunisian
nationality orTunisian banks
4) Unbound1) None
2) None
3) None
4) Unbound
1) None
2) None
3) None
4) Unbound
1) None
2) None
3) None
4) Unbound
GATS/SC/87
Page17TUNISIA (continued)GATS/SC/87
Page18
Modes ofsupply: 1) Cross-border supply 2) Consumption abroad 3) Commercial presence 4) Presence ofnatural persons
Sector orsubsector Limitations onmarket access Limitations onnational treatment Additional commitments
Portfolio management
services
(CPC 81323)
Loan broking services
(CPC 81331)1) Unbound
2) Unbound
3) None, butstock market intermediaries must
benatural orlegal persons ofTunisian
nationality orTunisian banks
4) Unbound
1) None
2) None
3) None
4) Unbound1) None
2) None
3) Unbound
4) Unbound
1) None
2) None
3) None
4) UnboundTUNISIA (continued)
Modes ofsupply: 1) Cross-border supply 2) Consumption abroad 3) Commercial presence 4) Presence ofnatural persons
Sector orsubsector Limitations onmarket access Limitations onnational treatment Additional commitments
Financial consultancy
services (excluding
exchange offices)
(CPC 81332)
9. TOURISM AND
TRAVEL RELATED
SERVICES
A. Hotel andrestaurant
services
Hotels
(CPC 6411)1) None
2) None
3) None
4) None
1) Unbound*
2) None
3) None
4) Unbound, except asindicated inthe
horizontal section1) None
2) None
3) None
4) None
1) Unbound*
2) None
3) None
4) Unbound, except asindicated inthe
horizontal section
* Unbound fortechnical reasons.
GATS/SC/87
Page19TUNISIA (continued)GATS/SC/87
Page20
Modes ofsupply: 1) Cross-border supply 2) Consumption abroad 3) Commercial presence 4) Presence ofnatural persons
Sector orsubsector Limitations onmarket access Limitations onnational treatment Additional commitments
Restaurants (excluding
unclassified restaurants)
(CPC 6421)
B. Travel agencies andtour
operators services
Travel agencies
(CPC 7471)1) Unbound*
2) None
3) None
4) Unbound, except asindicated inthe
horizontal section
1) Unbound
2) None
3) Unbound
4) Unbound1) Unbound*
2) None
3) None
4) Unbound, except asindicated inthe
horizontal section
1) Unbound
2) None
3) Unbound
4) Unbound
* Unbound fortechnical reasons.