See also: Central Bank of Tunisia Invest in Tunisia   INFRASTRUCTURE Tunisia has devoted considerable efforts to the establishment of an adequate infrastructure. The railway network totals 2,475 km (1,500 miles) and covers the country from North to South. It is connected to both the Algerian and Moroccan railway networks. The road network stretches over 31,000 km (18,600 miles). A 150 km (90 miles) highway system links Tunis, Hammamet and M'Saken, and plans for further extensions to the South and North of the country are underway. TRANSPORTATION The transportation sector plays a vital role in realizing the objectives and choices of development, in supporting productive sectors and reinforcing their competitive capacities as well as in improving the citizens' standard of living. The public sector accounts for about 70% of the production of the transportation sector. In 1999, the sector showed a growth of 6.5% and a value-added of 1444.3 millions dinars out of 9432.8 million dinars at current prices for the entire service sector (2000 figures) This performance is due to the opportunities provided in sea transportation, to dynamism at the level of road transportation and air transportation linked with the development of the tourist sector. Supervision over the sector is entrusted to the Ministry of Transport whose mission is to provide the country with a global, economical and safe transportation system and to control its smooth functioning so as to make it an essential factor of economic and social development. The transportation sector is composed of three sub-sectors: land transportation, merchant shipping and civil aviation. Land transportation The formulation and implementation of the land transportation policy are entrusted to the General Directorate of Land Transportation (DGTT) which is responsible mainly for organizing the sector, developing the regulation and tariff policy of land transportation, seeing to their implementation, ensuring the technical supervision of land transportation enterprises under the Ministry of Transport as well as relations with international bodies, and negotiating international conventions and bilateral agreements on the subject. Those missions are exercised through the following main fields of activity: Passenger transportation Goods transportation Road traffic Passenger Transportation 1- Urban and regional transportation In the Tunis District (Tunis, Ben Arous, Ariana and Manouba), the transportation service is operated by three public companies (SNT, SMLT and SNCFT) and two private companies (TUT and TCV) as well as by taxis and rural transportation vehicles. As for inland, urban and regional public transportation service is operated by the Regional Transportation Companies (SRT's) which serve the territory of 20 governorates out of 24, the SNCFT which operates the suburban railroad services between Sousse, Monastir and Mahdia on the electrified line called "the Sahel Metro" as well as by taxis and rural transportation. 2- Interurban transportation Interurban transportation is defined as transportation on routes beyond the area of urban and regional transportation. It is provided, in particular, by public operators such as the SNTRI, the 12 SRT's and the SNCFT and by private operators such as car rentals and "4-door sedan" taxis. Goods transportation Goods transportation is governed by Law 97-56 of July 28, 1997 organizing the goods transportation activity. 1 - Goods transportation for oneself: This type of trasnportation is carried out by natural or legal persons for themselves under conditions set by the Transportation Ministry. Since 1992, this kind of transportation has been deregulated whatever the number and capacity of the vehicles. 2- Goods transportation for others: This type of transportation is subject to the registration formality for vehicles whose authorized gross weight (AGW) is over 12 tons. The registration is made on two registers. The register of natural persons (license for on vehicle) and the register of legal persons (license for several vehicles). Registrations are subject to certain conditions set by the Transportation Ministry. In addition, the utilization of any vehicle whose AGW is above the 12-ton threshold is subject to obtaining a utilization card delivered by the services of the Ministry of Transport. 3- International road transportation International road transportation of goods (TIR) is governed by international conventions (CMR, TIR and UMA conventions), bilateral agreements (20 agreements of which 10 are in force, i.e. Jordan, France, Italy, Germany, Great Britain, Belgium, Sweden, Switzerland, Spain and Hungary) and Law 97-56 of July 28, 1997 organizing goods transportation as amended by Law 99-91 of August 2, 1999. 4- Transportation of dangerous goods: This type of transportation is governed by Law 97-35 of June 2, 1997 relative to road transportation of dangerous goods. This law consists in laying down rules to prevent any risks to the safety of living beings and the environment. Road Traffic The sphere of road traffic is governed by the new Rules of the road approved under Law 99-71 of July 26, 1999 and its enforcement decrees, issued for the most part in January 2000. In this field, in addition to the technical control of vehicles, the operational tasks pertaining to driver's licenses, registration, acceptance, certification of vehicles and driving instruction have been provided by the Agence Technique des Transports Terrestres (Technical Agency for Land Transportation) since 1998. Civil Aviation The General Directorate of Civil Aviation (DGAC) at the Transportation Ministry is mainly responsible for: Preparing and implementing the State policy in the sphere of civil aviation; Organizing the aeronautical sector and contributing to its development; Ensuring the safety and regularity of aerial navigation and controlling the equality of air transportation services and particularly their facilitations; Delivering the agreements and licenses necessary for the creation of aeronautical enterprises; Conducting technical investigations into plane crashes and incidents and making the necessary recommendations; Supervising the enterprises and bodies working in the sphere of civil aviation, namely: the Office of Civil Aviation and Airports (OACA), Tunisair, Nouvelair Karthago Airlines , Tuninter (which became Sevenair on July 7, 2007), Tunisavia,MAS, the aeronautical training centers and the aerial work companies. Aeronautical activities Air transportation Transportation Regular  Non Regular   International National International National Passengers Operated by Tunisair and Tuniniter Operated by Tuniniter Operated by Tunisair, Tuniniter and Nouvel air Operated byTunisavia & Tuninter Goods Operated by Tunisair, MAS & Tuninter Operated by MAS Operated by MAS Operated by Tunisavia, MAS & Tuninter Aeronautical transportation This heading is about aeronautical activities other than passenger and goods transportation, which are exercised under authorization of the aeronautical authorities. Aerial work: Agricultural spraying work Air photo Air surveillance and control Medical evacuation Sky advertising Promotion of tourist activities Leisure activities, promotion of tourist activities and aerial sport by means of hot-air balloons. oLeisure activities, promotion of tourist activities and aerial sport by means of microlights. Leisure activities, promotion of tourist activities and aerial sport by means of parachutes. Leisure activities, promotion of tourist activities and aerial sport by means of airplanes whose weight does not exceed 5.7 tons. Aeronautical training: This is the training of civil aviation employees holders of a license. Ground assistance Catering preparation Services offered The main two public air operators are Tunisair and the Office of Civil Aviation and Airports. The Tunisair company is the first airline company of the country, providing transportation of passengers (regular and charter flights) and freight. It serves over 55 international destinations. Its fleet is being renovated and has a total of 24 aircraft. The Office of Civil Aviation and Airports (OACA) maintains, in particular, the control of aerial navigation, the operation, improvement and development of airports, and the issuance of all the documents required for aeronautical staffs, aircraft and aerial navigation. MERCHANT NAVY The subsector of the merchant navy has witnessed in recent years structural transformations. Several actions have been carried out at the level of maritime and port regulation and organization. a) The General Directorate of the Merchant Navy (DGMM) has entrusted a number of its attributions to the Office of the Merchant Navy and Ports and is mainly in charge of: Participation in the development of the general policy of sea transportation and ports. Preparation and implementation of regulations on sea transportation. Relations and links between Tunisia and foreign countries at the level of bilateral cooperation and international relations. b) The Office of the Merchant Navy and Ports (OMMP) is governed by law 98-109 and is in charge of: Exercising the powers entrusted to the maritime authority and administration as well as to the port authority. Operating and ensuring the functioning, maintenance and development of commercial sea-ports. Commercial sea-ports whose list is fixed by Decree 2000-1001 of May 11, 2000, are attached to the OMMP with the exception of the port of Gabes which is attached to the Equipment Ministry but managed by the OMMP, and the port of La Skhira which is managed by TRAPSA. c) The Tunisian Navigation Company (CTN) and the Kerkennah New Transportation Company (SONOTRAK) provide public sea transportation in Tunisia along with the other private sea transportation enterprises. The national fleet is comprised of 18 ships of which 9 belong to private ship-owners. d) Port handling is provided by the Tunisian Company of Lighterage and Handling which operates in the commercial seaports. e) Forwarding agents and merchant navy professionals are governed by Law 95-32 of April 14, 1995 and Law 95-33 of April 14, 1995. Reform in the sector of sea transportation and ports Regulations Promulgation of Law 98-21 of March 11, 1998 relative to international multimodal transportation of goods which sets the rights, obligations, responsibilities of the multimodal transport operator, the responsibilities of the shipper, the conditions of exercise of the activity of international multimodal transport of goods and contractual clauses. 2- Promulgation of Law 98-109 of December 28, 1998 under which OMMP is assigned to exercise the attributions entrusted to the maritime authority and administration (new attributions). 3- Publication of the decree of the Ministries of Transport and Trade, dated March 9, 1999 approving maximum rates for port handling. 4- Publication of the decree of the Ministries of Transport and Trade, dated March 9, 1999 approving maximum rates for the services of consignment of ships. 5- Promulgation of the new Code of commercial sea-ports (Law 99-25 of March 18, 1999) which set general rules for ensuring the security, protection and conservation of commercial sea-ports and the conditions of their operation. Organization 1 . Reorganization of the professions of the merchant navy to foster the création of private maritime and port enterprises. 2.Unity of responsibility: the handling contractor is in charge of ail the opérations of cargo handling and consignment within the port compound. 3. Institution of free compétition in ail ports to improve their competitiveness. 4. Introduction of franchise as a new form of utilization and opération of the public domain of ports and port equipment. 5. Reorganization of the employment régulations in the ports: Work in the ports is so organized as to ensure continued port opération 24 hours a day and 7 days a week. Institution of rules of professional qualification and work safety in the ports. 6- Exercise of maritime and port activities: By simple déclaration to the authority for the professions of the merchant navy, the forwarding agents, and the customs brokers. By registration or a register kept by the Port Authority for other professionals (warehousing and checking off, guarding of ships and goods...) 7- Ports advisory structures 1.Creation of a Ports National Council (see "The Officiai Gazette", JORT 74 of September 14, 1999). 2.Creation of a Port Community Committee (see "The Officiai Gazette", JORT 66 of August 18, 2000). 3.Creation of a Port Security Committee (see "The Officiai Gazette", JORT 69 of August 27, 1999). The main purpose of their structures is to consolidate the ties among ail administrations, operators, and users.