Morocco Considers Carbon Tax to Boost Green Economy and Export Competitiveness

Following in the footsteps of the European Union, Morocco is moving towards the implementation of the carbon tax. The introduction of the carbon tax aims to support companies in their energy transition, thus helping to strengthen their competitiveness and provide a positive advantage to companies using green energy-based products, economist Mohamed Jadri explained to Al3omq. According to him, this tax is necessary to ensure the acceptance of Moroccan products on foreign markets, especially with the trend of the European Union to impose a similar tax on carbon. "It is essential for the Moroccan government to take this measure in order to preserve the competitiveness of national products on global markets, especially with European partners," he stressed.

The introduction of a pollution tax is logical in principle, as pollution harms society as a whole, including air pollution caused by polluting industries that negatively affect citizens and workers in these sectors, explained economist Omar Kettani, calling for strict monitoring of industries that pose a threat to the health of workers. He stressed that the funds collected through these taxes should be used to compensate people affected by these industrial activities. However, the expert remains doubtful about the true objective of this tax, the sincerity of the state in protecting citizens against environmental phenomena, particularly desertification. "Is the state really seeking to fight pollution, or is it aiming to increase its revenues through the imposition of additional taxes?" he questioned.

Kettani fears that Morocco will come under external pressure from certain European Union countries seeking to limit its access to industry by imposing strict environmental policies that could slow the country’s industrial growth. Driven by these concerns, he called on the Moroccan government to adopt comprehensive policies including reforestation, food product monitoring, and clean energy production policies. In the expert’s eyes, it is necessary not to focus on specific sectors while allowing other polluting sectors to persist in the economy.