Morocco Seeks to Boost Local Textile Industry in Turkey Trade Deal Talks

At least 60% of the volumes sold by foreign brands on the market must be manufactured locally. Encouraging the establishment of at least five major Turkish operators in the textile upstream in Morocco, and establishing a permanent common customs duty of 30% on textile imports.

These are the three proposals made by Mohammed Boubouh, current president of the Moroccan Association of Textile and Clothing Industries (AMITH), as part of the renegotiation of the Morocco-Turkey FTA, on Wednesday, January 29, during a press conference.

For him, establishing 30% customs duties within the framework of free trade agreements is a fiscal measure that will allow the creation and development of Moroccan brands oriented towards the local market. "We are having a hard time surviving. What we are asking for is legitimate. If there are foreign brands that want to sell on our local market, they are welcome, but there need to be conditions," comments the president of AMITH.

"Massive imports from Turkey are a hindrance to local production. Job losses are counted in the thousands. Many of our colleagues have closed. Hundreds of companies have closed between 2016 and 2019," says Mohammed Boubouh. He hopes that the renegotiation of the Morocco-Turkey FTA will take into account the concerns of the sector, as one of the objectives of the textile industry is to regain the local market.