1.16. The legal framework for trade statistics in Morocco. In Morocco, the Office of Exchange is responsible for the compilation and dissemination of external trade statistics. The Office of Exchange is a public institution charged with two missions: to enact measures relating to exchange control regulations and to establish the foreign trade statistics, balance of payments and international investment position. The compilation and dissemination of foreign trade statistics have been entrusted to the Office of Exchange since 1967 under a decision of the Minister of Finance. The legal acts concerning trade statistics were consolidated in 2007 with the promulgation of Law 19-06, on statistical reporting for the compilation of statistics of foreign trade. This law contains provisions that permit:
(a) Establishment of the requirement for residents with respect to reporting transactions with non-residents to the Office of Exchange;
(b) Specification of the reportable transactions: commercial and financial transactions with non-residents;
(c) Definition of violations of the law on statistical reporting: non-declaration, misrepresentation and non-compliance with statistical declaration requirements;
(d) Empowerment of the Office of Exchange to initiate investigations directly with traders.