More tax exemptions on the chopping block: The Finance Ministry is in the process of reviewing tax exemptions across various tax laws as part of an effort to cut down on special tax treatment, three government sources told EnterpriseAM. With this, the ministry aims to help boost tax revenues and better define the tax base, closing loopholes used for tax evasion while simplifying tax treatment for various economic activities, the sources said.

The move could bring us closer to our tax revenue targets: The upcoming measures aim to generate EGP 122 bn in additional revenues for the new budget, supporting the Madbouly government’s goal of raising total tax revenues to EGP 2.6 tn in the next fiscal year, our sources said.

What the new measures could entail: The move could include subjecting foreign consultancy services to VAT, after having been previously taxed at 10% or exempted due to being classified as training services, our sources said. The foreign consultancy services could be subject to a 14% VAT along with clear mechanisms for calculating income tax.

What has been done so far: Exemptions for a number of international and digital transactions as well as exemptions related to various projects have already been reviewed and are awaiting final approval, one source said.

VAT exemptions are one of the main focus points, with the government taking steps to apply to tax to a amend the tax treatment of certain items — such as soda, sweetened and unsweetened juices, and non-alcoholic beer — as part of a larger plan to eliminate exemptions for 19-20 goods that receive them under the current law. A number of committees are working on drafting the measures, our sources said.

However, the government has no plans to introduce a new income tax law, as concerns over the impact the move may have on investment will cause the state to delay that step slightly, one source said.

Other taxes could receive the same treatment: Customs duties, real estate tax, and entertainment tax reforms are also subject to reforms, our sources said.

Our agreement with the IMF also plays a part: The implementation of tax reforms is one of the cornerstones of Egypt’s economic reform program with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), which believes the size of Egypt’s economy is not reflected adequately in its tax revenues, our sources said. The IMF wants Egypt to move faster on fiscal reforms, broadening the tax base.

“The ministry’s study confirmed that the expansion of exemptions has ultimately harmed the economy, because they were used as loopholes for evasion,” one government source told us. “Therefore, the coming period will focus on reducing exemptions that are not linked to vital sectors or have no direct impact on citizens, in parallel with tax facilitation measures and the tax reform path initiated by the ministry.”

REMEMBER- The Madbouly government is aiming to raise some EGP 2.6 tn in tax revenues in the upcoming fiscal year through implementing existing tax facilitation laws and introducing new facilities on customs and real estate taxation — all without imposing additional tax burdens, Finance Minister Ahmed Kouchouk said in his budget statement to the House last month. The draft budget also targets one-off revenues equivalent to 0.6% of GDP by phasing out tax exemptions.

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