1. Suppose your company has European subsidiaries (brand office).

It's
considering exporting its product to Egypt. Yet management carrying the
knowledge of that country trade policies and barriers is limited. Before your
company management decided to export, a more detailed analysis of the
political and economic conditions in Egypt is required. So, if you are a
manager how should you do? You want to export your product to Egypt but
you have no idea of its political and economic conditions in Egypt. How should
you do? Assignment - find the political and economic conditions of importing
in Egypt, analyze and tell the result what should you do in a real situation.
So, as a manager, I can use open source to analyze potential new markets.
Also, I can talk with my colleagues in the business sphere or with specialists, who
know more about the country in which I am interested. As well, we need to
understand which kind of information is important to our company (it is changed
from company to company).
Here is information that I have found from the open-source (internet):
1. TrendEconomy.com – here you can find all information about export and
import of each country.
Examples of available data presented below:

Picture 1 Imports of Egypt by countries (all commodities)

 Picture 2 Import structure of Egypt

Picture 3 Trend of imports in Egypt

2.Countries.World – here you can find all information about country. This is
the best way to know more about new market.
Examples of available data presented below:
Picture 4 First part about import in Egypt and main menu about Egypt

Pict
ure 5 Second part part about import in Egypt
 Picture 6 Third part about import in Egypt

3. The best way that not only related with internet – call to trade
representative (office) of your country (with our case it is – US) in Egypt. It is their
website - ustr.gov. Specialists will help you find out all the necessary information.
United States trade representative publish tons of documents every year.
They are analyze unbelievable amount of information about each country. Most
important for us - National Trade Estimate Report on FOREIGN TRADE
BARRIERS. Here is part of its content:
 IMPORT POLICIES
Tariffs Egypt’s Most Favored Nation (MFN) applied tariff rate averaged 7
percent for agricultural products and 50 percent for non-agricultural products in
2018. Egypt’s simple average WTO bound tariff rate is significantly higher at 98.3
percent for agricultural products and 27.5 percent for non-agricultural products.
Egypt’s maximum WTO bound tariff rate for all products is 36.5 percent.
On September 11, 2018, Egypt raised tariffs on 5,791 products through
Presidential Decree 419/2018. Also through this Decree, Egypt reduced tariffs on
several medicines and imported natural gas vehicles, and eliminated duties on
electric cars. While the new tariffs are within Egypt’s WTO bound rates, they
exacerbate the disadvantage U.S. products face in Egypt vis-à-vis European Union
(EU) goods given that such EU products benefit from preferential rates granted
under the European Union-Egypt Free Trade Agreement.
Egypt still maintains high tariffs on a number of critical U.S. export
products. Egypt’s tariff on passenger cars with engines with 1,600 cubic
centimeters (cc) or less is 40 percent, and its tariff on cars with engines of more
than 1,600 cc is 135 percent. Tariffs on a number of processed and high-value food
products, including poultry, meat, apples, pears and cherries, range from 20
percent to 30 percent. There is a 300 percent tariff on alcoholic beverages for use
in the tourism sector plus a 40 percent sales tax. The tariff on alcoholic beverages
for use outside the tourism sector ranges from 1,200 percent on beer to 1,800
percent on wine to 3,000 percent on sparkling wine and spirits, effectively ensuring
that these beverages are comprised of foreign unrefined inputs that are
reconstituted and bottled in Egypt. Foreign movies are subject to tariffs amounting
to 46 percent. They are also subject to sales taxes and box office taxes higher than
those for domestic films.
Nontariff Barriers
Customs Barriers and Trade Facilitation
Egypt’s customs authority has not yet implemented modern information
technology systems, making it difficult for it efficiently to target suspect shipments
for inspection. The delay in implementation affects the customs authority’s
capability to process manifests and entry documentation, including those for
customs valuation. The lack of automated manifest collection and internal
coordination, in addition to inefficient inspection procedures, has resulted in
significant customs processing delays. In addition, Egypt’s practice of
consularization, which requires exporters to secure a stamp from Egyptian
consulates on all documentation for goods exported to Egypt (at a cost of $100 to
$150 per document), adds significant costs in money and time to such exports.
Egyptian Customs also employs reference pricing when assessing duties. The U.S.
Government has raised and will continue to raise these U.S. business concerns.
In December 2015, Egyptian Decree 991/2015 took effect governing
preshipment inspection requirements administered by Egypt’s Ministry of Trade’s
General Organization for Export and Import Control (GOECI). However, Egypt
has not notified the decree despite being subject to Article 5 of the WTO
Agreement on Preshipment Inspection. Since May 2017, the United States has
continued to request Egypt notify Decree 991/2015 to the WTO Committee on
Customs Valuation (G/VAL/W/299).
In June 2017, Egypt’s Parliament endorsed Presidential Decree No.
149/2017 ratifying the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement, which is expected to
expedite the movement of goods across its borders and improve customs
cooperation. However, Egypt has yet to officially deposit the instrument of
ratification to the WTO. Although Egypt has yet to ratify the TFA, it has availed
itself of the flexibilities for developing countries in Section II of the TFA, which
allows for self-designation of capacity building needs and dates of implementation.
Egypt has submitted its Category A notification, but has not notified the remaining
commitments to the WTO Secretariat. Egypt should have notified its definitive
dates for Category B commitments by February 2018. Additionally, Egypt notified
one of the four Section I transparency provisions under Category A, but has yet to
provide the relevant information, which was due to the WTO Secretariat by entry
into force of the Agreement, February 22, 2017.
Import Licensing
Either the National Nutrition Institute or the Drug Planning and Policy
Center of the Ministry of Health and Population (MoHP) must register and approve
all nutritional supplements, specialty foods, and dietary foods. Importers must
apply for a license to import specialty food products and renew the license every
one to five years, at a cost of up to $1,000 per renewal, depending on the product.
While there is no law that prohibits the importation of nutritional supplements in
finished pill form, import licenses for these products are not provided.
The MoHP must approve the importation of new, used, and refurbished
medical equipment and supplies. The MoHP approval process consists of a number
of steps, which some importers have found burdensome. Importers must submit a
form requesting the MoHP’s approval to import, provide a safety certificate issued
by health authorities in the country of origin such as the U.S. Food and Drug
Administration (FDA), and submit a certificate of approval from the U.S. FDA or
the European Bureau of Standards. The importer also must present an original
certificate from the manufacturer indicating the production year of the equipment
and, if applicable, certifying that the equipment is new. The importer must prove it
has a service center to provide after-sales support for the imported medical
equipment, including spare parts and technical maintenance.
TECHNICAL BARRIERS TO TRADE / SANITARY AND PHYTOSANITARY
BARRIERS
Technical Barriers to Trade
Vehicles
U.S. vehicle and automotive parts exports face significant barriers in Egypt,
and U.S. exports declined by 44 percent since 2015. Since June 2014, Egypt has
applied European Union (EU) regional emissions and safety standards for vehicles
and automotive parts. This has made it difficult to export U.S. vehicles and parts
built to U.S. Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS) to the Egyptian
market. Further, Egypt is only enforcing these standards for imports. Another
restrictive element of Egypt’s law prohibits the importation of used vehicles for
commercial purposes.
The United States is seeking to address the decline in U.S. exports by
encouraging Egypt to accept U.S. FMVSS emissions and safety standards for
vehicles. After persistent engagement by the United States, in May 2018 Egypt
indicated to USTR that it is willing to allow imports of U.S. vehicles and
automotive parts if Egypt can overcome its legal and standards concerns. The
problem centers on Egypt’s unwillingness to recognize and conform to the “self-
certification” system under the U.S. FMVSS. The U.S. Government is providing
technical assistance to assist Egypt in working through its legal standards concerns.
Ban on Poultry Parts and Poultry Offal
Since 2003, Egypt has imported poultry from all origins, but has only
permitted imports of whole, frozen birds, banning imports of poultry parts and
offal. Although Egypt’s General Organization for Veterinary Services (GOVS)
inspected and approved 22 U.S. poultry establishments for export to Egypt in
September 2013, and certified that U.S. slaughtering processes and food safety
measures are in accordance with halal practices, Egypt continues to cite Islamic
halal slaughter concerns as the reason for the ban on U.S. poultry parts and poultry
offal. The United States raised this issue at the December 2017 Trade and
Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA) meeting in Cairo, at the TIFA follow-
up meeting in May 2018, and again at the WTO Technical Barriers to Trade
Committee meeting in 2018.
Foreign Manufacturers Registration
Egyptian Decree 43/2016, in effect since March 16, 2016, requires foreign
entities that export finished consumer products to Egypt, e.g., dairy products,
furniture, fruits, textiles, confectioneries, and home appliances, to register their
trademarks with Egypt’s General Organization for Exports and Imports Control
(GOEIC). Egypt does not allow imports of goods from nonregistered entities.
Despite Egypt’s announcement at the December 2017 TIFA meeting that all U.S
companies in the registration queue had been approved, U.S. companies are
concerned about a lack of transparency in the process. A small number of U.S.
companies are still pending registration. Registration can take up to 18 months,
adding costs and uncertainty to the export process and, over time, may discourage
exports to Egypt. The United States raised these concerns with Egypt multiple
times in 2017 and most recently at the May 2018 TIFA follow-up meeting in
Washington.
Sanitary and Phytosanitary Barriers
In recent years, the Egyptian government has made limited progress in
taking a more scientific approach to sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) measures.
However, importers of U.S. agricultural commodities continue to face unwarranted
barriers. Animal products, including beef and dairy products, face the greatest risks
of rejection at port, given that Egypt does not adopt many international standards
for all animal-based products. Egypt also blocks the import of certain U.S.
agriculture products based on Egypt’s claims regarding health and food safety. In
addition to these barriers, Egypt also maintains other non-tariff measures based on
religious requirements or bureaucratic procedures.
Agricultural Biotechnology
Since March 2012, an Egyptian Ministry of Agriculture and Land
Reclamation decree has suspended the cultivation of corn seeds developed through
agricultural biotechnology. The initial suspension followed media reports critical
of agricultural biotechnology products.
Seed Potatoes
The United States remains unable to export seed potatoes to Egypt because
the Ministry of Agriculture’s Central Administration for Plant Quarantine (CAPQ)
has failed to provide the United States with an official designation of approved
origin for exporting seed potatoes. According to the Ministry of Agriculture’s
regulations, CAPQ approves origins only after completing a pest risk analysis.
While the pest risk analysis for U.S. seed potatoes was completed over two years
ago, Egypt continues to delay approval of the United States as an origin for
exporting seed potatoes to Egypt.
GOVERNMENT PROCUREMENT
In July 2018, the Egyptian Parliament passed a new law on government
procurement (No. 182). The new law and its regulations require procurement
decisions be made in a competitive and transparent manner and meet not only
technical factors and price but also sustainable development goals. As with the
prior procurement law, Egyptian small and medium-sized enterprises are given the
right to obtain up to 20 percent of available government contracts annually.
Egypt is neither a signatory to, nor an observer of, the WTO Agreement on
Government Procurement
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS PROTECTION
Egypt remained on the Watch List in the 2018 Special 301 Report. While
Egypt has taken steps to improve intellectual property (IP) enforcement, concerns
remain with the widespread use of pirated and counterfeit goods, including
software, music, unlicensed satellite TV broadcasts, and videos. Deterrent-level
penalties for IP violations, ex officio authority for customs officials to seize
counterfeit and pirated goods at the border, and additional training for enforcement
officials would enhance the IP enforcement regime in Egypt. Also, the lack of
transparent and reliable systems for processing trademark and patent applications
remain obstacles for growth of U.S. IP exports. Finally, the United States continues
to urge Egypt to clarify its protection against the unfair commercial use, as well as
unauthorized disclosure, of undisclosed test or other data generated to obtain
marketing approval for pharmaceutical products.
SERVICES BARRIERS
Egypt restricts foreign equity in construction and transport services to 49
percent. In information technology-related industries, Egypt requires that 60
percent of senior executives be Egyptian citizens within three years of the startup
date of the venture.
Financial Services
Foreign banks are able to buy shares in existing banks, but are not able to
secure a license to establish a new bank in Egypt. New commercial banking
licenses have not been issued to foreign banks since 1979. Three state-owned
banks (Banque Misr, Banque du Caire, and the National Bank of Egypt) control
approximately 40 percent of the banking sector’s total assets.
Telecommunications Services
The state-owned telephone company, Telecom Egypt, holds a de facto
monopoly in fixed line telecommunications, primarily because the National
Telecommunications Regulatory Authority has not approved additional
telecommunications licenses. The lack of competition among internet service and
fixed landline providers has contributed to high prices, low internet speeds, and
poor service quality.
 Express Delivery Services
The Egyptian National Post Organization (ENPO) must grant special
authorization to foreign-owned private courier and express delivery service
suppliers seeking to operate in Egypt. In addition, although express delivery
services constitute a separate, for-profit, premium delivery market, ENPO requires
private express delivery operators to pay a postal agency fee of 10 percent of
annual revenue on shipments of less than 20 kilograms (approximately 44 lbs).
ENPO imposes an additional fee on private couriers and express delivery services
of 5 EGP ($0.30) on all shipments under 5 kilograms (approximately 11 lbs).
INVESTMENT BARRIERS
Egypt implemented an investment law (No. 72) in October 2017 to address
longstanding complaints of foreign investors. The law now allows foreign
investors to operate sole proprietorships and partnerships. In addition, the law
relaxed local hiring requirements, allowing firms to increase the number of
nonnationals working at any business from 10 percent of the work force to 20
percent. Further regulatory changes also allow foreigners to act as importers for
their own businesses, albeit with some limitations on the items that can be
imported and the purposes for which they can be imported.

Here you also can find some basic information about relation of US and
Egypt.
 BONUS
I also can recommend official site of UK government. They have a perfect
guide how to export in Egypt. It is their guide.

Picture 7 Egypt trade and export guide of UK department for interantional trade
2. You are an employee of a U.S. firm that produces personal computers in
Thailand and then exports them to the United States and other countries for
sale. The personal computers were originally produced in Thailand to take
advantage of relatively low labor costs and a skilled workforce. Other possible
locations considered at the time were Malaysia and Hong Kong. The U.S.
government decides to impose punitive 100 percent ad valorem tariffs on
imports of computers from Thailand to punish the country for administrative
trade barriers that restrict U.S. exports to Thailand. How should your firm
respond? What does this tell you about the use of targeted trade barriers?
2.1 How should your firm respond?
If my firm is authority enough (to talk with governments) - it would try to
influence the decision of officials the government of Thailand and ask them to stop
the administrative trade barriers (or alleviate to some extent them). My firm would
also lobby government of US to end the tariff, which they import on exports to
Thailand. This way my firm would continue the operations of Hong Kong and
Malaysia.
If my firm cannot lobby its interests or lobbing is not help – company can
consider Malaysia or Hong Kong for production of Personal computers. Also
exporting the personal computer to new markets/countries can be an alternative
option.
In the end, it all depends on the effectiveness of a particular decision.
2.2 What does this tell you about the use of targeted trade barriers?
Trade barriers raise the cost of exporting products to a country. This shows
that targeted trade barriers are effective and can damage the economy. It can
discourage the trade barriers and ensure that they are removed.