Reforming Trade in Services and Negotiation Processes in Morocco

Arguments in favor of liberalizing the market for services are becoming increasingly widespread. These arguments particularly apply to financial services, telecommunications, and transportation, which are key sectors that significantly contribute to a nation's economic development. However, the challenges of liberalizing the market for services to foreign competition are evident. Furthermore, this liberalization entails a broad and complex set of policies, regulatory instruments, institutions and constituencies, domestically and in the foreign arena, in the public and the private sector. Experience has shown that considerable care must be given to the assessment of the nature, pace and sequencing of regulatory reform and liberalization in order to meaningfully enhance a nation's economic growth and development. Morocco has signed, ratified, and implemented several Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) and is engaged in discussions with other partners. Issues that concern the market of services are gaining in importance in Morocco's foreign trade policy. Moreover, Morocco has continued to reform its sectoral policies, making notable progress in services sector performances in a bid to diversify its economy. This paper tries to outline some features that concern the trade in services policies and reforms in Morocco and its negotiation process adopted by enforcing bilateral, regional and multilateral agreements.