Importers Ordered to Declare Exact Warehouse Locations to Curb Speculation
The Ministry of Domestic Trade and Market Regulation has instructed economic operators engaged in the import of raw materials, products and goods intended for resale in their original condition, and holding a Certificate of Proof of Compliance, to regularise their status and correct the geographical coordinates of their declared warehouses through the digital platform dedicated to the certificate.
The move is part of a broader effort by public authorities to tighten oversight of imported goods throughout the supply chain, from their arrival at ports to their eventual delivery to consumers. It also seeks to put an end to speculative practices and the deliberate creation of shortages, which have become increasingly prominent in recent months, particularly involving essential consumer goods and raw materials.
Investigations have revealed that some operators declare warehouses that do not actually exist or provide administrative addresses that do not correspond to the actual storage locations. Such practices allow them to conceal imported stocks, manipulate market availability and distribute goods according to their own interests, beyond the reach of regulatory authorities. This directly affects price stability and undermines consumers’ ability to purchase essential goods when they need them.
In this context, the regional trade directorates have issued notices to the economic operators concerned, requiring them to access the digital platform for the Certificate of Proof of Compliance and update the information relating to their warehouse locations. They must also submit a formal undertaking providing the precise geographical coordinates of these facilities.
As an example, the trade directorates of Blida and Bordj Bou Arréridj have called on all concerned importers to correct the geographical locations of their declared warehouses on the platform, according to an important notice seen by Echorouk. Operators are required to access their dedicated online accounts, download the attached undertaking form, complete it and submit it to the Foreign Trade Office at their respective regional trade directorate before 20 November 2026.
The authorities have urged importers to regularise their situations without waiting until the final days of the deadline, allowing the relevant departments sufficient time to process applications and carry out the necessary field inspections without undue pressure.
According to the undertaking form attached to the notice, the requirement goes beyond simply updating a warehouse’s administrative address. Operators must provide accurate information enabling authorities to pinpoint the facility’s actual location on a map. This includes the company’s registered name, head office address and commercial registration number, as well as the warehouse address and its precise geographical coordinates, including longitude and latitude.
The undertaking must also bear the signature of the company’s manager and its official stamp, making the economic operator directly accountable for the accuracy of the information provided and exposing it to legal liability should any discrepancies with the actual situation be established.
The measure reflects the ministry’s determination to move beyond documentary checks towards effective on-the-ground inspections, rather than relying solely on administrative records that may conceal unlawful practices.
At its core, the initiative aims to ensure that every shipment imported for resale is backed by a genuine, identifiable warehouse that regulatory authorities can access and inspect at any time.
By precisely identifying warehouse locations through the Global Positioning System (GPS), inspection teams will be better equipped to verify the actual presence of goods and reconcile imported quantities with stocks held in storage and those distributed to the market. This will also help uncover attempts to stockpile goods beyond the reach of regulators in order to restrict market supply and drive up prices.
The procedure will further enable authorities to distinguish between legitimate importers, who operate actual storage facilities and possess the logistical capacity required to conduct their business, and operators whose importing activities exist only on paper, without the infrastructure needed to store and distribute goods.
Such practices create opportunities for speculation, monopolistic behaviour and artificially engineered shortages, particularly involving high-demand products that are especially sensitive for both consumers and producers.
The measure is expected to strengthen both upstream and downstream oversight of imports intended for resale by linking administrative records to actual conditions on the ground. Authorities will be able to verify that declared warehouses exist at the specified locations and meet the requirements for proper storage, thereby helping ensure a steady flow of goods to the domestic market and preventing products from disappearing from store shelves despite having entered the country through its ports.
Accurate geographical coordinates will also allow trade authorities to respond more swiftly to any market disruption by heading directly to the warehouses concerned and checking available stocks, rather than relying on administrative addresses that may not reflect the actual storage locations.
Ultimately, the initiative is designed to strengthen the state’s ability to combat speculation, protect consumers’ purchasing power and ensure that access to import-related facilities and procedures is reserved for operators with the genuine infrastructure and resources needed to conduct their activities transparently and in compliance with the law.
