Algeria ratified an E.U. association agreement in September 2005 and began active membership in the Arab Free Trade Zone in 2009. Algeria ratified the African Continent Free Trade Area treaty in 2019. Algeria is not a member of the WTO.

Algeria is strategically located in North Africa connecting Africa and Europe. Algeria has invested $12 billion in its road system, including completing two national expressways running from east to west and north to south. The country has 18 international airports, including a new $600 million international air terminal in Algiers, and 13 seaports.

The Algerian road network includes 76028 km of national or departmental roads and 32274 km of  secondary roads, for a total of 108,302 km.

In addition, the railway network extends over 4,209 km and has more than 200 stations.

Main commercial ports in Algeria

Major airports in Algeria

The Competition Law No. 03-03 of 2003 and its amendments follows the principle of free determination of prices in accordance with market mechanisms and the principles of free competition. However, the Law allows measures of fixation, of upper limit or ratification of margins and prices of goods and services are taken on the basis of the proposals of the relevant sectors, for the main following grounds:

• The stabilization of the pricing level of essential goods and services or of wide consumption, in case of a significant market disruption;
• The fight against speculation under all its forms and the preservation of the consumer purchasing power.

Price controls can be found through this link.

Algeria registered a 900 million USD in trade surplus in 2021, and exports reached almost 38 billion USD. While around two thirds of exports are directed to the European market, around one third of imports come for the EU and China is the biggest supplier to the Algerian market. Oil and gas represent around 90% of Algeria`s exports followed by fertilizers.  

• The main export markets for Algerian products are: Italy, Spain, France, United States, Korea, Netherlands, United Kingdom, Turkiye, Singapore.
• The main export products are: Oil and gas, fertilizers, inorganic chemicals, iron and steel, Cement and phosphate, sugar and confectionary, and fruits.
• The main countries where imports come from are: China, France, Russia, Spain, Germany, Italy, Turkiye, Brazil, and Argentina.
• The main imports are: machinery and mechanical appliances, cereals, electrical machinery and equipment, plastics, vehicles, pharmaceutical products, and dairy products.

Source of data: Trademap (International Trade Centre)

Import Procedures:

Customs declarations must be made in writing and signed by the declarant, who may be the owner, the customs agent, or the carrier.  The declaration must be submitted to the customs office having jurisdiction over the port of entry.  The submission must be made within 21 days from the date of registration of the document.  In addition to the customs declaration, the customs clearance file must include an invoice with a bank domiciliation, a copy of the company’s trade registration, a copy of the tax card issued by the relevant fiscal authorities, the border inspection document, documentary evidence of origin, an itemized list of contents (i.e., a detail note), certificates of conformity and quality from an independent third party, and the approval mandate of the customs agent.

Additional materials can be required in cases subject to specific administrative procedures.  For example, the Ministry of Health must clear medical products and requires distributors to obtain authorization to import and sell drugs.  Drugs must have been marketed in their country of origin and a third country before importation into Algeria.  Other examples include hunting weapons cleared by the Ministry of Defense and the National Security Directorate and books and magazines cleared by the Ministry of Information and Culture.

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Export procedures:

Any legal entity who has registered with tax department of Algeria can start an appropriate business and engage with international trade by fulfilling necessary requirements demands by the Government Algeria. A registered trade with concerned license (if required) as per the business and to have enlisted in the Trade and Company Register is must for exporting and importing of commercial products from and into Algeria.

Douanes Algériennes (Customs Department of Algeria), who is assigned with execution of all the decrees issued by the country’s ministries and governmental institutions which concerned and controls smuggling and is facilitator of genuine trade.

The necessary documents required should be submitted with the customs authorities for cargo clearance. The document requirement  depends on the country of origin or destination. The documents may have to be prepared in a particular way to comply with the requirements of the import or export country. 

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Customs:

Algerian imports are subject to payment of customs duties in the following increments: duty-free, 5%, 15%, 30%, or 60%.

A list of banned equipment for importation has been published in January 2018.

In July 2018, another measure has been introduced by CFL 2018 to discourage importing certain goods. For this purpose, an additional provisional safeguard right (Droit Additionnel Provisiore de Sauvergarde or DAPS) has been set up on a limited list of imported goods. DAPS rates range from 30% to 200%.

For 2022, a new list of 2,608 goods subject to DAPS has been released.

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The website of the Directorate-General of Customs puts online information relating to customs tariffs and nomenclatures, and in particular:

- Tariff species

- Presentation of the Customs Tariff

- Tariff quota

- Reports of Tariff Classification Decisions

- Online Rate

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In accordance with Executive Decree No. 14-238 of August 25, 2014 amending and supplementing Executive Decree No. 96-205 of June 5, 1996 setting the operating methods of the special trust account No. 302-084 entitled "Special Fund for the Promotion of Exports" supports the following:

• Part of the costs associated with studies of foreign markets, informing exporters and studying to improve the quality of products and services intended for export;
• Part of the costs of participation of exporters in fairs, exhibitions and specialized exhibitions abroad, as well as the payment of costs of participation of companies in international technical forums;
• Partial support intended for small and medium-sized enterprises, for the development of the "export" diagnosis, the creation of internal "export" units;
• The assumption of part of the costs of prospecting for foreign markets borne by the exporters as well as assistance for the initial establishment of commercial entities in foreign markets;
• Assistance in the publication and distribution of promotional materials for products and services intended for export and the use of modern information and communication techniques (creation of websites, etc.);
• Aid for the creation of labels, assumption of responsibility abroad for the costs of protection of products intended for export (labels, brands and patents), as well as the financing of medals and decorations awarded annually to first-time exporters and rewards for academic work on non-hydrocarbon exports;
• Support for the implementation of training programs for export jobs;
• Part of the transport costs