ABSTRACT
From Ireland throughout the world, the overall concept of free zones has attracted national business start-ups, development and multinational conglomerates. They are particularly beneficial to economic and commercial development and have been especially prevalent and influential to the economic policy in lesser-developed or economically developing countries. Although the primary purpose of the free zones is to reduce or eliminate import duties and taxes by way of duty and tax suspension concerning operations in the zones themselves, the other purpose of the zones is to provide a vehicle for the economic development and the foreign direct investment, especially where re-export activities are involved. Free zones selected from different parts of the world illustrate the extent to which national free zone policy has determined the type of the zone used in each country quoted, and how it has benefitted that country’s economy.
