In special economic zones business and trades laws differ from the rest of the country. The term, and a number of other terms, can have different specific meanings in different countries and publications. Often they have relaxed jurisdiction of customs or related national regulations. They can be ports or other large areas or smaller allocated areas.
Terms include free port (porto Franco), free zone (zona franca), bonded area (US: foreign-trade zone), free economic zone, free-trade zone, export processing zone and maquiladora.
Most commonly a free port is a special customs area or small customs territory with generally less strict customs regulations (or no customs duties or controls for transshipment). Earlier in history, some free ports enjoyed political autonomy. Many international airports have free ports, though they tend to be called customs areas, customs zones, or international zones.
Africa
Although the enabling act came into effect in 1992, the pioneer Free Zone (the Calabar Free Trade Zone) was not fully completed until 1999, and commenced operation after official commissioning in November 2001. Since then, the Free Zones Scheme has been used as a vehicle for industrial and commercial development of the country. Private Sector participation and partnership with the Federal Government and other tiers of government has helped spread the scheme. This has culminated in the establishment of specialised Free Zones and other types of Zones, namely:
The introduction of free zones has played a large role in increasing the amount of investment into Nigeria. When all the free zones are fully operational, Nigeria is projected to play a large role in expanding export-driven manufacturing activities in Africa.
Asia
China
Indonesia
Iran
Mongolia
South Korea
Taiwan
- Port of Bangkok
- Port of Chiang Kong
- Port of Chieng Saen
- Port of Laem Chabang
- Port of Ranong
Turkey
- Mersin Free Zone, Mersin
- Antalya Free Zone, Antalya
- Aegean Free Zone, ðzmir
- Istanbul Atatürk Airport Free Zone, Istanbul
- Trabzon Free Zone, Trabzon
- Istanbul Leather Industry Free Zone, Istanbul
- East Anatolia Free Zone, Erzurum
- Mardin Free Zone, Mardin
- Istanbul Stock Exchange Free Zone (ðMKB), Istanbul
- ðzmir Menemen Leather Free Zone, Menemen
- Rize Free Zone, Rize
- Samsun Free Zone, Samsun
- Istanbul Tracia Free Zone, Istanbul
- Kayseri Free Zone, Kayseri
- Adana Yumurtalñk Free Zone, Yumurtalñk
- European Free Zone, ÃÂorlu
- Gaziantep Free Zone, Gaziantep
- Bursa Free Zone, Bursa
- Kocaeli Free Zone, Kocaeli
- Denizli Free Zone, Denizli
- Tübitak Free Zone, Gebze
United Arab Emirates
Uzbekistan
Europe
European Union
European Union free zones:
Austria
Bulgaria
Croatia
Cyprus
- Limassol Free Zone - ceased
- Larnaca Free Zone - ceased
- Customs Warehousing & Free Zones, Nicosia
Czech Republic
- Free zone Ostrava
- Free zone Pardubice
Denmark
Estonia
- Muuga Free Zone
- Sillamäe Free Zone
- Paldiski free zone
Finland
- Free zone of Lappeenranta (Lappeenrannan Vapaa-alue) - ceased
- Freeport of Hanko (Hangon Vapaasatama) - ceased
France
- Free Zone of Le Verdon - Port de Bordeaux (Zone franche du Verdon — Port de Bordeaux)
Germany
- Freeport of Bremerhaven (Freihafen Bremerhaven)
- Freeport of Cuxhaven (Freihafen Cuxhaven), since 1896
- Freeport of Deggendorf (Freihafen Deggendorf), since 1989 - ceased
- Freeport of Duisburg (Freihafen Duisburg), since 1989 - ceased
- Speicherstadt, Hamburg - ceased
Greece
Hungary
- Customs free zone Záhony
Ireland
Italy
Latvia
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Malta
Poland
- Free Customs Zone Warsaw Airport
- Free Customs Zone Gliwice
- Free Duty Zone Terespol
- Free Customs Zone Szczecin
- Free Customs Zone Ã
ÂwinoujÃ
Âcie
- Free Customs Zone GdaÃ
Âsk
- Free Customs Zone Mszczonów
Portugal
Romania
- Port of ConstanÃ
£a, January 2007
- Free zone Curtici Arad
- Free zone Galati
- Free zone Giurgiu
- Free zone Braila
- Free zone Sulina
- Free zone Constanta Sud si Basarabi
Slovenia
Spain
Sweden
Albania
Armenia
Belarus
Georgia
Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Free Zone Trebinje
- Free zone Hercegovina
- Free zone Vogosca
- Free zone Visoko
Moldova
- GiurgiuleÃÂti Freeport
- Expo-Business ChiÃÂinÃÂu, ChiÃÂinÃÂu)
- Ungheni-Business
- Tvardita
- Otaci-Business
- Valkanes
- Taraclia
- Free International Airport of MÃÂrculeÃÂti
Monaco
Montenegro
North Macedonia
âechnologicalâÂÂIndustrial Development Zones (TIDZs)
Russia
Serbia
Serbia has 14 free economic zones as of September 2017; these are:
Switzerland
- Geneva Freeport, La Praille, Geneva
- Geneva Cointrin International Airport free port, Geneva
- Magazzini Generali con Punto Franco SA, Chiasso and Stabio, free port and bonded warehouse, Chiasso
- PESA - Port-Franc et Entrepôts de Lausanne-Chavornay SA, free port and bonded warehouse, Chavornay (Vaud)
- SEV - Société des Entrepôts Vevey SA, free port and bonded warehouse, Vevey
Ukraine
- Free port and free economic zone Odesa
- 1819-1858
- Trade sea port of Odesa, January 1, 2000 for 25 years
United Kingdom
Gibraltar
Isle of Man
The Americas
Argentina
Law 19640: Special Customs Area for the Island of Tierra del Fuego
Law 24331: Free Zones (of Argentina)
The Bahamas
Bermuda
Brazil
Canada
Foreign trade zones:
Chile
Colombia
- San Andrés
- Zona Franca
- Zona Franca de Bogota
- Zona Franca del Pacifico
- Zona Franca Palermo
Dominican Republic
- Mega Port of Punta Caucedo
Jamaica
Panama
Costa Rica
- Zona Franca Saret
- Zona Franca Coyol
- CF Free Zone Park S.R.L
- Zona Franca Metropolitana
- Zona Franca del Este
- Concentrix Free Trade Zone, S.A
Uruguay
- Carrasco International Airport (Free Airport)
- Zona Franca Colonia
- Zona Franca de Montevideo
- Puerto de Montevideo (Free Port)
- Zona Franca Rivera
United States
Venezuela
See also
References