“We would have hoped for a more balanced 2024 finance law and more in line with the commonly held principles. In coordination with the Federations, the CGEM Regions, the Commissions and the Parliamentary Group, we will continue our consultations and continue to carry the voice of the “Moroccan company and our recommendations for the next years”, said Mr. Alj during a press conference held at the initiative of the Confederation.
According to him, the goal is to “finalize all the projects of this tax reform whose expected objective is very clear on our side: improving revenue through growth, broadening the base via integration of the informal sector and the reduction of tax pressure for economic operators.
On this occasion, Mr. Alj recalled that for the year 2024, four main projects mark the CGEM’s recommendations to preserve and improve the competitiveness of businesses.
This is “a real reform of VAT, in the sense of neutrality, and the generalization of the right to reimbursement and deduction, as stipulated by the recommendations of the Assises de la Fiscalité”, of “a doctrine to adopt in terms of customs tariffs, in favor of Made in Morocco, via a real competitiveness shock on inputs”, “the integration of the informal sector” and “local taxation and more precisely the reform of the professional tax “.
These principles, continued the president of the CGEM, were at the heart of working meetings with the General Directorate of Taxes (DGI), the Administration of Customs and Indirect Taxes (ADII) and the General Directorate of Territorial Communities (DGCT) , “during which we raised awareness of the importance of continuing to move forward towards a tax system that benefits everyone”.
“Although completely aware of the issues and balances that the State must ensure, we believe that the PLF2024 partially meets the aforementioned ambitions,” he said.
And added: “When the PLF was published, business leaders were somewhat surprised. The treatment of the VAT reform towards neutrality was considered incomplete and certain measures seriously worried the economic world.”
In this regard, he cited the example of the application of a form of all-out solidarity of managers and managers, in matters of VAT, of changes in VAT rates and Customs duties applicable to a set of products. , without prior consultation with the sectors concerned.
Mr. Alj considered that “these developments send a mixed message to the business world, and may call into question investment decisions and intentions.”
“Our country needs more than ever to create jobs. It is only by continuing to provide confidence through visibility and fiscal stability that we will achieve this. Thanks to the quality work of the Taxation and Customs Commission and the Parliamentary Group, and until the last moments, the CGEM was able to convince, in the second chamber, of the risk presented by certain provisions”, he said.
Furthermore, Mr. Alj underlined that the Confederation has succeeded in reducing the impact of certain VAT developments, on certain sectors and products, emphasizing in particular the exemption with right of deduction obtained for the pharmaceutical sector, the elimination of withholding tax on suppliers of goods except for capital goods and suppliers of works, reinstatement of the VAT exemption for investment goods in Education and Training, the reduction of VAT to 10% for the transport of goods.