Special Economic Zones in the OIC Region:
Learning from Experience
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TMSA
TMSA was established under Decree No. 2-02-644 of September 10th, 2002 and is the public
authority over the Tanger Med Port and SEZs. It is a limited company with a Management Board
and Supervisory Board with capital reserves of 818 million MAD held by the Hassan II Fund for
Economic and Social Development and is responsible for the regional development, urban
planning and the management of the Industrial platform and of Tangier Med port. It has been
endowed with public prerogatives including public authority missions on the port and the free
zones, in accordance with common law provisions on the matter.
All the prerogatives of TMSA are set by Decree-Law, establishing the special zone of
development Tangier Mediterranean. In this framework, the Moroccan State has entrusted
TMSA with the following main tasks:
 All the technical and economic studies relating to the port and the free zones, the
preparation of a general scheme for the development of the special development zone;
 Mobilization of the funding needed to implement the Tangiers Med project components;
 Development and operation of the new port and logistics, industrial, commercial and
tourist areas;
 Commercial promotion of the port and business areas;
 The concession, where appropriate, of activities in the port and free zones;
 Administration of the public domain of the area; and
 The management of the port by carrying out the missions of the Port Authority.
TMSA acts as a regulator and central point of contact for all branches of the Tanger Med
Activities, allowing for greater cooperation, faster processes and easier administration and
operation of activities.
TMSA is also the single point of contact for investors – they are assigned one business account
manager to manage the relationship. The organisation acts as the ‘One Stop Shop’ for investors
and provides a central point of contact for the organisation of the zones both through TMSA and
their subsidiaries which are outlined in further detail below. This organisational structure
allows TMSA to expedite the issuing of licences and permits. Notably:
 Setting up the legal entity can take 48 hours;
 Construction permits can be delivered in 7 days; and
 Operational license can be delivered in 7 days.