212 FOREIGN TRADE ZONES
The following translation from a publication of the Credito ¥
Docks de Barcelona, emphasizes certain features of the operations
permitted in the free deposit:
In the free deposit merchandise enjoys absolute exemption not only from
pustoms duties but also from all classes of taxes established or which may in
future be established as long as it is not destined to national consumption. The
greater part of foreign merchandise, tobacco in leaf or manufactured, and Spanish
merchandise destined to mixture or exportation can be admitted to it.
Merchandise can remain in the deposit up to four years without the satisfaction
of customs duties, during which period it can be indiscriminately destined all or
in part to national consumption or to reexportation abroad, paying duties only
on that part destined to consumption.
The tariffs both for storage and manipulation are low and perfectly support~
able by the merchandise affected.
The company takes charge of insurance on advantageous conditions for its
clients, as liquidations are made every 15 days on the stocks existing at the
beginning of the period and policies are not charged with stamps, duties, ete.
The operations permitted are enumerated in the royal orders of October 22,
1914, October 13, 1927, and December 13, 1927, the last two of which considerably
 extended the classes of operations possible.
The consignees of merchandise which comes destined in the manifest to the
tree’ deposit do not incur customs penalties included in Chapter II title 4 of the
customs regulations.
Further a royal order of December 13, 1927, authorized the free deposit of
Barcelona to receive and export by railway proceeding from or destined to
Portbou, merchandise which according to the customs regulations can be the
object of transit commerce.
The company alive to the importance of credit in modern commerce facilitates
the mobilization of merchandise by the issuance of warrants representing it.
These warrants are paid to the bearer and with them as a guarantee credits may
be opened at daily interest to be liquidated on cancellation. Loans on these
warrants are made at 5 per cent interest.
Operations prohibited in the free zone—Merchandise which by its
condition and character or on account of its packing is considered
prejudicial or inconvenient or which may cause prejudice to other
goods deposited, may be refused.
The introduction into the free deposit of merchandise which can
not be imported into Spain as enumerated in Disposition 11 of the
tariff, is prohibited. These prohibitions while they include a con:
siderable number of articles are not for the most part of general
interest to commerce. Merchandise, the prohibition or importatioB
of which is temporary or circumstantial, can, however, be admitted
in the free deposit for four years enjoying all privileges of other
merchandise except that of introduction into the country.
Dispatch in unloading vessels.—As there is no free port proper bub
only a free deposit, vessels with goods for the latter must enter and
clear under the same conditions as those with merchandise for entry”
Actually it is understood that only small portions of the cargo
introduced so far have been destined for the free deposit.