Moroccan Self-Employed Workers Seek Government Aid Amid COVID-19 Crisis

The collective of Moroccan self-employed workers has launched a distress call to the State, through a letter addressed to the head of government. The objective of this letter, for the self-employed workers, is to draw the attention of the economic monitoring committee (CVE) to the consequences of the COVID-19 crisis on the activities of many of them. The self-employed workers are requesting their inclusion in the support plan developed in the past. They are therefore making this request in order to be able to benefit from the support of the State, particularly with regard to the measures taken for the benefit of private sector employees. The collective also specifies that this State support will make it possible to make up for the shortfall created by the confinement and will avoid precariousness for this category of citizens.

The self-employed workers recall having been very enthusiastic about King Mohammed VI’s call to revitalize the entrepreneurial sector, which asked Moroccans to join alternative employment initiatives. This is a category that contributes strongly to the national economy by paying tax, contributing to the reduction of unemployment and fighting the informal sector.

Still with a view to taking measures against COVID-19, the CVE will meet next Monday to examine a series of new measures to be taken for the benefit of informal sector employees, not affiliated with the CNSS.

It should be remembered that the economic monitoring committee has taken a battery of measures to support the economic sector, in particular companies and employees that COVID-19 is shaking up. Two important decisions on the tax front are to be remembered. They concern companies whose 2019 turnover is less than 20 MDH, tax audits and ATDs. These companies will be able to benefit, if they so wish, from a postponement of the filing of tax returns until June 30, 2020. The suspension of tax audits and ATDs for the same deadline is also decided.