FOREIGN TRADE ZONES
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Naples—In the “Magazini Generali” merchandise, such as sugar,
coffee, and mineral oil, is stored, usually for the purpose of mixing
various substances imported from abroad preparatory to subsequent
exportation, these facilities saving the trouble of making payment
upon imports which are destined for reexportation. The manufacture
or transformation of goods in the ‘“Magazini Generali” is forbidden.
Trieste.—All operations in which no alteration of the substance of
the original articles takes place are permitted. The most important
operations performed are the manipulation of tobacco, requiring sort-
ing, packing, and forwarding; coffee cleaning and motor-car assem-
bling.
Fiume.—The regulations of the free port permit the deposit, trans-
port, packing, and manipulation of goods, their delivery and reconsign-
ment, the letting of warehouse space to private trading concerns,
unloading and loading into trucks or vessels, sales of goods by public
auction, subsidizing of goods shipped in the care of the bonded ware-
houses and lying in depots. All operations in competition with the
bonded warehouses and contrary to the customs laws and harbor
sanitary rules are forbidden.
Saloniki—In the Greek free zone all operations are permitted
which may be properly classified as commercial, such as the purchase
and sale of merchandise, transfer of property, weighing and sorting
of merchandise, sampling, repacking, and all manipulation which does
not substantially change the nature of the merchandise,
Sulina. —The free zone is limited to the Sulina Branch for a distance
of 3 miles upstream from the Danube, and there are no warehouses or
factories. It is essentially a port of transshipment, in which grain
arriving in lighters is loaded directly on board ocean-going craft.
As there are no rail and highway connections, such transshipment is
confined to water vehicles. It appears that while no operations are
prohibited, the activities carried on are related wholly to the loading
and discharging of steamers and to shipping in general. The manipu-
ation of petroleum and oil residues is carried on in a special zone
at the lower end of the port. Sea-borne goods entering this port are
not subject to customs duties except in the case of the Government
monopolies, which are tobacco, spirits, beer, salt, gunpowder, matches,
and playing cards.
ADMINISTRATION
The free port bears such a close relation to national commerce and
shipping that all of the maritime countries of Europe have taken
steps to insure the protection of the public interest in connection with
the administration and operation of their free ports. The protection
of these important public interests is a clearly defined purpose in all
of the various methods of administration. Often the free port is
owned by the city and operated by a company representing the