Morocco: New fuel price monitoring sparks debate

In a recent press release, the regulatory body announced the abandonment of its quarterly evaluation in favor of a monthly analysis of the entire supply and marketing chain. This increased monitoring of gasoline and diesel prices responds to the pressures on global supply and follows the transactional fine imposed on oil operators at the end of 2023.

On Bladi.net: Fuels: Towards a new price surge at the pump in Morocco?

This new procedure perplexes Houcine Al Yamani, secretary general of the national union of oil and gas. In an interview with Hespress, the official believes that the deep imbalances in the sector stem exclusively from political choices, pointing to the liberalization of prices and the definitive cessation of refining activities by Samir.

The union representative demands a drastic intervention by the constitutional body instead of mere observation. He urges the Council to publicly clarify whether price-fixing agreements have truly ceased since the 2023 sanction. According to him, several indicators prove the persistence of these illicit practices, notably the troubling alignment of pump prices, the pooling of purchases and storage, and the manifest increase in the profit margins of distribution companies.

This critical approach is tempered by Bouazza Kherati, president of the Moroccan Federation of Consumer Rights. He reminds that the Council’s primary mission is to ensure compliance with competition law and not to directly cap prices. He welcomes the recent efforts of the institution, which, since its 2022 reforms, have demonstrated a genuine desire to protect the purchasing power of citizens.

On Bladi.net: Fuels in Morocco: Excessive margins pointed out

However, the consumer advocate insists on the direct responsibility of the executive in the face of this situation. He believes that the geopolitical instabilities fully justify the activation of a temporary and exceptional price limitation, a measure strictly provided for by law. To address these levels deemed intolerable, he finally calls on the government to urgently revise the weight of the tax burden imposed on fuels.