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4 January 2016
Client Alert | Algeria | M&A / Corporate
The Ministerial Order defining the new regime applicable to the liaison offices of foreign companies in Algeria was released on 16 December 2015. There was a lot of expectation around this text which aims to clarify the conditions under which liaison offices can open and operate in Algeria.
The Order confirms the temporary and the non-commercial nature of these representation structures of foreign companies, which are prohibited from performing any economic activities.
The opening of a liaison office remains subject to approval of the Ministry of Commerce, which has imposed stricter conditions:
The approval is granted for two years by the Ministry of Commerce and is renewable.
The Order also specifies that no approval other than the approval delivered by the Ministry of Commerce can be granted to a liaison office. This provision may prevent in particular liaison offices from holding the approval delivered by the Ministry of Health to conduct medical promotion activities.
It should be noted that consulting and customs declarant companies are expressly excluded from the possibility of creating a liaison office.
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