Morocco: Cheaper Smartphones

This amendment, carried by the group of the General Confederation of Moroccan Enterprises (CGEM), marks a strategic step backwards. The rate had been raised to 17.5% in the 2024 Finance Act (after an initial proposal of 30%), with the aim of protecting local production. However, the CGEM has convinced the Delegate Minister in charge of the Budget, Fouzi Lekjaa, that this high taxation was detrimental to the competitiveness of the formal sector and encouraged illegal imports.

The restoration of the reduced rate of 2.5% is welcomed by professionals. Beyond the fight against the informal sector, this decision is part of a specific technological context: the recent launch of 5G by the three national operators. To take advantage of this ultra-fast network, users must be equipped with compatible terminals, often more expensive. This reduction in customs duties should therefore lighten the final bill for the consumer and accelerate the modernization of the national mobile fleet.